Professional Documents
Culture Documents
8.2.1 Mixtures 1
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
Table 2: Differences between mixtures and pure substances (from Conquering Chemistry Prelim, p. 6)
Particle models
Models are required (and used) to visualise the
relationship between particles
Molecules: when atoms of the same or different elements interact with one another to form more
complex particles
The composition of molecules indicates the number (shown in subscript) and type of element
present (chemical symbol)
E.g. N2 = 2 atoms of nitrogen
8.2.1 Mixtures 2
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
8.2.1 Mixtures 3
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
8.2.1-LT4: Identify and describe procedures that can be used to separate naturally
occurring mixtures of:
- solids of different sizes
- solids and liquids
- dissolved solids in liquids
- liquids
- gases
8.2.1-LT5: Assess separation techniques for their suitability in separating examples of
earth materials, identifying the differences in properties which enable
these separations
Chemistry 1 readings and exercises: pp. 12-20
Separating solids
Sieving
Relies of differences in size of solid particles
Used in the mining industry to obtain useful minerals
An ore body is ground before sieving to separate minerals from the gangue (DEF.: non-valuable
material present in the ore body)
8.2.1 Mixtures 4
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
Sedimentation occurs hand in with decantation, which is the process where the liquid (or gas) above a
sediment is poured off.
Froth floatation
Ground minerals are mixed with water, detergents and collectors (oily chemicals)
Air is bubbled through the mixture to create froth
Mineral grains adhere to the froth, which floats and is collected for further processing
The collected material is known as the concentrate
The gangue does not float
8.2.1 Mixtures 5
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
Magnetic separation
Used to separate magnetic solids from non-
magnetic solids
Crushed rock mixture is transported on a
conveyor belt, which runs between at least one
magnetic roller
Magnetic rocks maintain on the
conveyor belt; are eventually removed
using a scraper
Non-magnetic rocks fall off they
conveyor belt
Usefully for the separation of iron mineral
grains, e.g. magnetite (Fe3O4)
Figure 5: Magnetic separation
Filtration
Can be used for the separation of soluble from
insoluble solids
Can also be used to separate a liquid or
gas from an insoluble solid
Relies on passing a mixture through a porous
filter, which collects the solid
Residue: the insoluble solid that is
retained by the filter
particles are too large to pass
through the pores of the filter
Filtrate: the clear solution that passes
through the filter, containing the
Figure 6: Filtration (from Conquering Chemistry Prelim, p.
soluble solid 12)
dissolved particles are small
enough to pass through the pores
of the filter
This technique is often the first step used in the purification of water
Following filtration, the filtrate is subjected to further purification techniques
Additional examples includes: remove solids from petrol used in car engines
vacuum cleaners
8.2.1 Mixtures 6
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
Solution
The process to separate soluble and insoluble solids
Process: a mixture of soluble and insoluble solids is placed in a solvent that dissolved the soluble
solid
the insoluble solid is subject to further separation techniques for removal
This process is often used in conjunction with addition separation techniques, including: filtration,
evaporation or crystallisation (see: Separating dissolved solids and liquids)
Figure 7: Separation based on solubility, and additional processes (from Conquering Chemistry Prelim, p. 16)
Centrifugation
Centrifugation utilises centrifugal force to separate particles based on their size and weight
A suspension is spun at high speeds (generates centrifugal force), which results in the sedimentation
of solids based on their size and weight in layers
Larger particles sediment at lower levels that smaller particles
Can also be used to separate insoluble solids from liquids, in a process akin to sedimentation, but uses
centrifugal force to accelerate the sedimentation process
Common examples: separation of cream from milk
separation of plasma from blood
8.2.1 Mixtures 7
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
Evaporation
Evaporation relies on differences in the boiling
point of solute and solvent (i.e. differences in
volatilities)
Solute: the dissolved substance
Solvent: the liquid in which a
substance is dissolved Figure 8: Evaporation (from Conquering Chemistry Prelim,
p. 12)
Volatility: the measure of the
tendency of a substance to E.g.: separation of salt crystals from salt
become vapour water
A solution is heated, resulting in the BP: H2O - 100C
vaporisation of the low boiling point solvent, NaCl - 1465C
leaving the high boiling point solute as a
residue
Crystallisation
Often utilised to separate impure salts from solution
Relies on the differences in solubility of dissolved substances in selected liquids
Process: impure salt is dissolved in water at high temperatures to create a concentrated solution
the solution is cooled resulting in the crystallisation of the salt
impurity remains in solution, as it is more soluble, so is removed with the evaporation
of water
Can be used for the separation of soluble substances, with different solubilities
E.g.: baking soda (low solubility in cool water) and salt (soluble in cool water)
Also used in the derivation of sugar from sugar cane and sugar beet
8.2.1 Mixtures 8
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
Separating liquids
Miscible liquids: liquids that mix, forming a single phase
e.g. water and ethanol
Immiscible liquids do not mix, so distinct phases are observed
Separating funnel
For use separating immiscible liquids
Distinct layers are observed based on
differences in density
The less dense liquid sits atop its more
dense counterpart
Process:
Immiscible mixture is placed into a
separating funnel
A tap at the bottom of the funnel is
opened, allowing the denser liquid to be
eluted into a new vessel
The tap is closed once all the bottom
later has been eluted
Distillation
The basis of separation is difference in boiling points of a miscible liquid mixture
A liquid is vapourised before being condensed back into a liquid
Process:
A miscible liquid mixture is heated in a distillation apparatus
The liquid with the lower boiling point vapourises (def.: converted from liquid to gas), while
the higher boiling point liquid remains in the original vessel
The vapourised liquid cools as it travels through the apparatus, eventually condensing before
elution
Distillate: the liquid that condenses (i.e. has a lower boiling point)
can be describe as being volatile (def.: substance that readily vapourises)
Can be used to separate a solvent from a solute (e.g. purification of salt water)
Simple distillation: only useful when the boiling points of the liquids is significantly different
Fractional distillation: used when boiling points are similar
process involves several vapourisation-condensation steps
Within the fractionating column, multiple vaporisation/condensation
event occur, allowing liquids with similar boiling points to separate
The fractionating column may be a coil (as seen in Figure 12) or filled with glass beads (not
shown)
Industrial processes:
o Separation of commercial products from crude oil
o Separation of ethanol from fermented solutions
8.2.1 Mixtures 9
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
Figure 10: Distillation apparatuses - (a) simple and (b) fractional (from Chemistry Contexts, p. 19)
Chromatography
This process is useful when the components of a mixture are present in limited quantities
Generally process: the mixture is passed over an unreactive matrix (substance that does not interact
chemically)
the components of the mixture adsorb/cling to the matrix with different
strengths
There are several types:
Column chromatography (matrix:
alumina)
Paper chromatography (matrix: special
filter paper)
Thin layer chromatography (matrix:
glass or plastic plate coated with a thin
layer of a fine power, e.g. aluminium
oxide)
Gas chromatography (matrix: tube
containing a particular solid, e.g. carbon
or silica)
8.2.1 Mixtures 10
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
Separating gases
Zeolite sieves
Zeolite crystals are aluminium silicate
Crystals act as a molecular sieve
Structured to contain many channels and internal structures
Selectively adsorb (def.: adhesion of atoms, ions, or molecules of gas, liquid or dissolved solid to
a surface)
Used to purify oxygen (O) from air
Nitrogen (N) and CO2 are adsorbed onto zeolite crystals
This process is called pressure swing adsorption (PSA)
8.2.1 Mixtures 11
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
8.2.1-LT6: Describe situations in which gravimetric analysis supplies useful data for
chemists and other scientists
Chemistry 1 readings and exercises: pp. 21-24
Gravimetric analysis
Chemical analysis: the process of
determining what
is present in a
particular chemical
sample
May be quantitative or qualitative
8.2.1 Mixtures 12
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
The composition of the atmosphere has not remained fixed, but changed over time as gases have
escaped into space, and in response to the activities of Earths inhabitants
The spheres of the Earth are:
Asthenosphere (not required in syllabus)
Lithosphere
Hydrosphere
Atmosphere
Biosphere
8.2.1 Mixtures 13
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
8.2.1 Mixtures 14
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
8.2.1 Mixtures 15
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
Oceans 97.2
Lithosphere 0.600
Atmosphere 0.001
Table 6: Distribution of Earth's water
8.2.1 Mixtures 16
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
Table 8: Abundance of gases in the (lowest layer) of the atmosphere (from Chemistry 1, p. 9)
Biosphere
The region in which living organisms are found, which can extend into and include:
The lithosphere
o Organisms found within the hot crust and near volcanic vents
The hydrosphere aquatic organisms
The atmosphere microscopic life at high levels within the atmosphere
The chemical components defined by the substances found in living organisms
8.2.1 Mixtures 17
8.2.1: The Chemical Earth - Mixtures
Elements found in the biosphere are obtained from the compounds living organisms consume
supplied by the lithosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere
8.2.1 Mixtures 18