SEPARATING MIXTURE

PURE SUBSTANCES and MIXTURES

When we do an experiment, we often end up with a mixture of substances

rather than just one. We must know how to separate the mixtures.

A single substance that has no other substances mixing with it is called a

PURE SUBSTANCE. If there is something else mixed with it, it is a mixture.

SOLID/LIQUID MIXTURES

The mixture of dissolved salts in water is an example of a solid/liquid mixture.

The mixture is clear and no salt can be seen. We called this sort of mixture a
solution. The solid which dissolves, such as salt, is called the solute. The
liquid that solute dissolves, such as water, is called the solvent. Solids such as
sugar and salt that dissolve are describe as soluble. Solids such as mud and
coin which do not dissolve are described as insoluble.

SOLUTE + SOLVENT = SOLUTION

We often say that a solution that contains a little solute in a given amount of
solvent is dilute. We called a solution contains a lot of solute in a given
amount of solvent CONCENTRATED.

We called a solution SATURATED when it can dissolved all the solute.

Usually cold solvents dissolve less solute than hot solvents.

A saturated solution is a solution which has dissolved all the solute, at a given
temperature.

An aqueous is to describe water when it is used as a solvent. Water is the

most common solvent, however the are many other solvents which we used in
industry and around houses. They are all needed to dissolve substances that
cannot be dissolve in water.

SUSPENSIONS

Sometimes it is hard to distinguish between a cup of PURE water and a cup

of salt in water mixture just by looking, but there are times we can easily
recognize a mixture. For example, By looking at the chalk in water in the
diagram below. We can see there are white specks in the water, since chalk
cannot dissolve in water. The particles of chalk are suspended in water. They
are so light which they will not sink. We called this sort of mixture a
suspension. Insoluble solid particles are suspended throughout the liquid in
the process of suspension. They are in groups that they are large enough for
us to see.

LIQUID/LIQUID MIXTURES
We used to word MISCIBLE when liquids mix together completely in order to
form one single liquid. We called those liquids which cannot mix together
completely IMMISCIBLE. Oil and water form two separate layers when they
are mixed.

The reason which we need to pure substance is because in Chemistry, pure

substances are needed to produce drugs or perform experiments in the
laboratory. However, most substances obtained from nature are mixtures.
Therefore these mixtures need to be separated and purified before we can
use them.

METHODS of PURIFICATION and SEPARATION

Purification and separation of substances are very important techniques in

Chemistry. Some of the common methods of purification and separation are
explained in the other sections.