Question

you are provided with a mixture containing - sand , iron fillings, ammonium chloride & sodium chloride. describe the procedure the you would use to separate these constituents from the mixture

Answer 1

Here we are having a heterogenous mixture which can be easily converted into separated into individual components through the following steps :-

1. Since only ammonium chloride and salt are soluble in water we can easily separate them from sand and iron filings by adding water followed by filtration. Now, we are having separate mixtures of iron and sand; and another of common salt, ammonium chloride and water.

2. We know that iron is a magnetic substance while sand is not so we can use a magnet to separate sand and iron filings. Thus, we have have sand and iron filings separated.

3. Now, for separating salt and ammonium chloride from water we can boil it leaving a residue containing salt and ammonium chloride.

4. Following step-3 we can use the property of sublimation of ammonium chloride and by heating the mixture while covering it with an inverted conical funnel with sealed upper end so as to condense the ammonium chloride vapors.

5. Thus we will get a layer of Ammonium Chloride on funnel and salt will remain in solid form only.

So, in this way we can separate the above mentioned mixture.