Exploring Mixtures and their Separation

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering the types of mixtures, concentration measurements, and various separation techniques based on Grade 9 science notes.

Homogeneous mixture

A mixture that has a uniform composition throughout, such as sugar dissolved in water, also referred to as a solution.

Solution

A homogeneous mixture formed when a solute is mixed with a solvent.

Solute

The substance in a solution that gets dissolved, such as sugar in a sugar-water mixture.

Solvent

The substance in a solution that dissolves the solute, such as water in a sugar-water mixture.

Heterogeneous mixture

A mixture that is not uniform in composition, where particles are often easily visible and settle with time, such as sand and water.

Concentration of a solution

The amount of solute dissolved in a given amount of solvent or solution.

Mass by mass percentage (% m/m)

A method to express concentration calculated as $\frac{\text{Mass of solute}}{\text{Mass of solution}} \times 100$, telling how many grams of solute are in $100\,g$ of solution.

Mass by volume percentage (% m/v)

A method to express concentration calculated as $\frac{\text{Mass of solute}}{\text{Volume of solution}} \times 100$, indicating how many grams of solute are in $100\,mL$ of solution.

Volume by volume percentage (% v/v)

A method to express concentration calculated as $\frac{\text{Volume of solute}}{\text{Volume of solution}} \times 100$, used when two miscible liquids are mixed.

Solubility

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

Saturated solution

A solution that cannot dissolve any more solute at a particular temperature.

Crystallization

The process of forming solid crystals from a saturated solution, used for the separation of two solids or the purification of solids.

Crystal

A solid that is made up of particles arranged in a regular geometric pattern.

Distillation

A process used to separate a homogeneous mixture of two miscible liquids by heating the mixture until the liquid with the lower boiling point vaporizes and is then condensed.

Miscible liquids

Liquids that mix together uniformly to form a homogeneous mixture.

Fractional distillation

The process used to separate components of a mixture with relatively small differences in boiling points, specifically less than $25\,^\circ\text{C}$, such as crude petroleum fractions.

Paper Chromatography

A method of separating the components of a mixture using differences in the interactions of the components with a solvent and the paper.

Immiscible liquids

Liquids that do not mix and instead form separate layers, such as oil and water.

Separating funnel

Apparatus used to separate two immiscible liquids based on their different densities.

Sublimation

The process where a substance changes directly from the solid state to the vapour state without passing through the liquid state upon heating.

Deposition

The process where vapour cools and condense back into a solid without becoming a liquid.

Alloy

A homogeneous mixture of two or more metals, or a metal and a non-metal, such as brass, bronze, or stainless steel.

Suspension

A heterogeneous mixture in which solid particles do not dissolve but remain suspended throughout the bulk of the medium and are visible to the naked eye.

Centrifugation

A process involving spinning a mixture in a tube at high speed to cause heavier particles to move outwards and settle at the bottom.

Coagulation

A process where fine suspended particles clump together, often facilitated by a coagulant such as powdered alum (fitkari).

Colloid

A mixture where particles are larger than those in a solution but smaller than those in a suspension ($1-1000\,nm$ in diameter) and do not settle over time.

Tyndall effect

The scattering of light by particles in a colloid or a suspension, which makes the path of a light beam visible.

Emulsion

A common type of colloid where both the dispersed phase and the dispersion medium are liquids, such as milk or cold cream.

Dispersed phase

The solute-like component or dispersed particles in a colloid.

Dispersion medium

The component in a colloid in which the dispersed phase is suspended.