Question

How can we separate the constituents of gun powder?

Answer 1

Gunpowder is a mixture of sulphur, charcoal and potassium nitrate (nitre). When water is added to the mixture potassium nitrate dissolves. The mixture is then filtered. The filtrate is potassium nitrate solution while the residue is a mixture of sulphur and charcoal. The filtrate is evaporated on a sand bath to obtain nitre back. When carbon disulphide is added to the residue, sulphur dissolves. When this mixture is filtered the filtrate is sulphur solution while the residue is charcoal. Leaving it open evaporates the sulphur solution. Carbon disulphide evaporates and sulphur crystals are left behind

Answer 2

Water needs to be added and then filtered to get the nitre.

The filtrate is nitre.

Then again the residue is dissolved in carbon disulphide where sulphur gets dissolved.

By filtration we will get the sulphur and charcoal as residue