SEPARATION OF SUBSTANCESS

Answer the following questions:

1. What are pure substances?
A. A pure substance is made up of only one kind of particles. It has definite ,
well defined set of properties and has the same composition throughout.
Examples: elements and compounds.
2. What is a mixture?
A. A mixture is made up of two or more substances. They do not have definite
and well defined properties.
Examples: Air and water
3. List out the properties of mixtures.
A. Some important properties of mixtures are as follows:
(i) The composition of a mixture is not fixed.
(ii) Each component of the mixture retains its characteristic properties.
(iii) The substances present in a mixture can easily be separated.
(iv) Mixtures do not have a fixed melting and boiling points.

4. Define the following terms.

(a) Hand- picking: The process of removing unwanted components such as a
pebble, straw, etc from grains and pulses.
(b) Threshing: The process of beating out the harvested crops to separate
the grains from stalk. There are machines called threshers that can also be
used.
(c) Winnowing: The process of separating the grains from chaff or husk by
exposing to natural breeze.
(d) Sieving: The process of separating mixtures containing components of
different sizes, shapes and colours by using a sieve .
5. Name the apparatus that can be used to separate a mixture of mustard oil
and water. Explain its working.
A. (i) The apparatus used for separating mustard oil and water is Separating
funnel.
(ii) WORKING:
A) The mixture of oil and water is taken in a separating funnel and left
undisturbed for some time.
B) The heavier liquid (water) collects as the bottom layer and the lighter oil
forms the top layer.
C) A beaker is placed below the funnel to collect the liquid.
D) The stopper is opened to let the bottom liquid to flow out and turned off
just when the top layer of liquid reaches the mouth of the stopper.
Note : Draw the fig. 5.11 from text book pg. no. 57
 6. Describe the process to separate a mixture of sand and water.
A. 1. The process involved in separating a mixture of sand and water are
sedimentation and decantation.
2. Make a mixture of sand and water in a beaker. Allow the mixtures to stand
for sometime undisturbed. The sand particles settle down at the bottom of the
beaker forming a sediment. The process of settling down of heavier, insoluble
particles from a mixture is called ‘ sedimentation’.
3. The clear liquid above the sediment is gently poured off into another
beaker without disturbing the sediment. This process of transferring the clear
liquid without disturbing the sediment is called ‘decantation’.
7. What is filtration ? How is it useful to us?
A. (i)Filtration is a process of removing insoluble substances from a liquid by
allowing it to pass through a filter paper. The clear fluid obtained is known as
Filtrate.
(ii) This method is used in our homes, laboratories and industries.
8. What is evaporation and condensation?
A. (i) The process in which a liquid changes into its vapour state is called
evaporation. This process is used on a large scale to obtain common salt from sea
water.
(ii) Condensation is a process of converting water vapour into water by cooling.
9. What do you understand by solution? Explain it in terms of solute and solvent.
A. (i) A solution is a homogenous mixture of one or more substances dissolved in
another substance.
(ii) The major component is called solvent and the minor component is called
solute.Example: In a solution of salt and water , salt is a solute and water is a
solvent.
10. Differentiate between saturated and unsaturated solutions.
A.
Saturated solutions Unsaturated solutions
Solutions which cannot dissolve more They are capable of dissolving more
solute at a given temperature solute at a given temperature.

11. How is drinking water obtained?

A. The water supplied to our houses is first treated through several separation
processes to make it clean and fit for consumption. The following steps are
followed to clean the water:
(i) The first step is removal of solid impurities by the process of sedimentation
and decantation. Sometimes, loading is done to speed up sedimentation.
(ii)The decanted water is then passed through sand filters to further purify it.
(iii) Finally, some amount of disinfectant ( chlorine) is added to kill the germs.
Note: Draw the fig. 5.12 from text book pg.no. 58.
12. Why do we need to separate mixtures?
A. Separation of mixtures into their components is done for the following
reasons:
(i) To remove impurities and harmful components.
(ii) To obtain useful components.
(iii)To obtain pure components.
13. Give reasons:
a) Loading is used to separate suspended impurities.
A) When alum is added to muddy water, the heavy particles of dissolved alum
settle on top of fine particles. This makes the fine particles heavy and they settle
down quickly. Thus, adding of alum loads the particles and speeds up
sedimentation.
b) Water is called a universal solvent.
A) (i)Water is capable of dissolving a variety of different substances, wherever it
goes, it takes valuable chemicals, minerals and nutrients dissolved it.
(ii) This property of water is very important to every living organism on earth and
therefore, it is called as the universal solvent.
14. State five functions of water.
A) Some of the crucial functions of water are as follows:
(i) Water helps in transporting vitamins and minerals in our body.
(ii) It is also used as a solvent to transport waste and unnecessary materials out of
the body, such as excess salt.
(iii) Plants take up vital nutrients, minerals and salts from soil through water.
(iv)Our body cannot absorb food if it is not dissolved in water.
(v) Aquatic plants and animals take up oxygen and carbondioxide
dissolved in water for sustaining life.