Exploring Mixtures and Their Separation Flashcards

A set of practice flashcards covering separation techniques, types of mixtures (homogeneous, heterogeneous, solutions, colloids, suspensions), and concentration calculations based on the lecture notes.

Crystallisation

The process of forming pure solid crystals from a saturated solution by cooling it slowly, such as sugar crystals or rock salt.

Distillation

A method that separates a mixture of two miscible liquids by vapourising the liquid with the lower boiling point, then cooling and condensing it (e.g., Acetone and water).

Paper chromatography

Separates components based on differences in their interactions with a solvent and the stationary phase (paper), typically used for coloured pigments in inks.

Homogeneous Mixture

A mixture where the composition is uniform throughout, such as salt in water.

Solution

A homogeneous mixture of two or more substances (e.g., soda water) with a particle size smaller than $1\,nm$; these particles do not scatter light and cannot be separated by filtration.

Saturated solution

A solution in which no more amount of solute can be dissolved at a given temperature.

Separating funnel

An apparatus used to separate two immiscible liquids based on their different densities, such as mustard oil and water.

Sublimation

The process used to separate a sublimable solid from a non-sublimable one by changing it directly into vapour on heating (e.g., Camphor and sand).

Centrifugation

A technique of spinning a mixture at high speed so heavier particles move outward and settle at the bottom; used for separating cream from milk or blood components.

Coagulation

The process of adding a coagulant to cause fine suspended particles to clump together into larger masses called flocs that settle easily (e.g., Alum (fitkan) in muddy water).

Mixture

A combination of two or more substances that are not chemically combined.

Heterogeneous Mixture

A mixture where the composition is not uniform throughout, such as water in oil or chalk powder in water.

Suspension

A heterogeneous mixture in which solute particles do not dissolve but remain suspended throughout the bulk of the medium; particles are visible to the naked eye and can be separated by filtration.

Colloid

A mixture that appears homogeneous but is actually heterogeneous with particles uniformly spread; particles are big enough to scatter a beam of light and can be separated by centrifugation.

Tyndall Effect

The scattering of a beam of light by the dispersed phase particles present in a colloidal solution.

Mass by Mass Percentage

$$\frac{\text{Mass of solute}}{\text{Mass of solution}} \times 100$$

Mass by Volume Percentage

$$\frac{\text{Mass of solute}}{\text{Volume of solution}} \times 100$$

Volume by Volume Percentage

$$\frac{\text{Volume of solute}}{\text{Volume of solution}} \times 100$$

Solid Solution (alloy)

Homogeneous mixtures of two or more metals and a non-metals that cannot be separated by physical methods, such as Bronze (copper and tin).

Solubility

The maximum amount of solute that can dissolve in a fixed quantity of solvent ($100\,ml$ or $100\,g$) at a given temperature.

Solubility curve

A graph representing solubility versus temperature.