Saint Louis University

School of Natural
Sciences
Department of Medical Laboratory Science

Activity 03

SEPARATING COMPONENTS OF MIXTURES

GROUP 06

MEMBERS:

MACHANUM, JORDAN M.

ANTONIO, MA. FELICIDAD S.

CASILDO, JOANNA MAE G.

DUQUE, ANNE KRYSSTELE A.

MANGLUGAY, LAINE DEONIBELLE P.

RAMOS, PAULENE ANDREA C.

June 15, 2019

ACTIVITY NO. 03
GROUP 06

EVALUATION

Above Below
Superior Averag Poor
Criteria averag averag
5 e3 1
e4 e2
Overall form and style
Title is clear and concise
Clear and concise report
All parts are properly related to each other
Referencing according to APA style
Introduction
Clearly stated problem/s
Significance of problem is established
Specific question/s is/are raised
Important terms defined
Adequate coverage of review of literature
Well organized review of literature
Studies critically examined
Literature are related to problem/s
Experimental procedures
Subjects and methods are described in detail
Variables are controlled
Appropriate data gathering procedures
Results and Discussion/Conclusions
Effective use of tables
Effective use of figures
Concise but complete report of findings
Appropriate statistical or other treatment of data
Logical analysis
Problem/s restated or addressed
Clear and concise discussion
Conclusion/s is/are based on results
Statement of practical or theoretical implications
Appropriate generalizations
Total
GRAND TOTAL

1
 SEPARATING COMPONENTS OF MIXTURES

AUTHORS: MACHANUM1, J.M; ANTONIO1, M.F.S; CASILDO1, J.M.G; DUQUE1,

A.K.A; MANGLUGAY1, L.D.P; RAMOS1, P.A.C
1
– Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Saint Louis University, Baguio City, Philippines
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presents interpretation and analysis of the gathered data from the experiment.
The data gathered from the experiment were compared to literature data.

Physical Characteristics of the Solid Components

The first solid component is the sodium chloride. It has a course texture as it appears to be
in small crystals or granules that have varying sizes. As for its color, it has a white or transparent to
colorless hue. It has no distinct smell and is odorless.

Sodium Chloride is a ubiquitous sodium salt that is odorless and is commonly used to
season food. It has a colorless, transparent crystal, white or crystalline powder-like appearance.
("Sodium chloride", 2019)

The second solid compound is the benzoic acid. It has a course to fine granule texture and it
has a crystalized shiny white appearance. As for its odor, it has a faint pleasant odor.

A Benzoic acid, C6H5COOH, is a colorless crystalline solid and the simplest aromatic
carboxylic acid. Benzoic acid occurs naturally free and bound as benzoic acid esters in many plant
and animal species. ("Human Metabolome Database: Showing metabocard for Benzoic acid
(HMDB0001870)", 2019)

The last solid compound is the Silicon Dioxide. It has a smooth texture with a powdery
appearance and white color. It has no distinct smell and is odorless.

Silicon Dioxide is a Transparent to gray, odorless powder which is irritating to the skin and
eyes on contact. Inhalation will cause irritation in the respiratory tract. (NOAA Office of Response
and Restoration, 2019)

I. Observation

The percent recovery of components of a mixture from known or given proportions was
determined by the students. During the first procedure of the activity, the students observed that the
mixture of Sodium Chloride, Benzoic Acid and Silicon Dioxide, had some changes in its physical
characteristics. The students observed that the mixture was still white in color, had a slightly rough
texture and still has a fine slightly crystal-like appearance.

II. SEPARATION BY MICROSCALE SUBLIMATION

Table 1: Weight of the Solid Mixture

 Weight of the Big Test Weight of the Big Test Tube Weight of the Solid
Tube with the Solid Mixture Mixture
41.3173g 46.025g 4.7077g

Table 1.2: Weight of the Sublimate

Weight of the Watch Glass Weight of the Watch Glass Weight of the Sublimate
with the Sublimate
40.9973g 41.3380g 0.34079g

The mass of the solid mixture was computed as the weight of the big test tube with the Solid
mixture minus the weight of the same big test tube which is equivalent to 46.025g - 41.3173g. It
was shown on table 1 that the weight of the solid mixture is equal to 4.7077g. However, based on
the results of the Microscale Sublimation procedure, the actual weight of the sublimate could only
be computed by subtracting the weight of the watch glass with the sublimate and the weight of the
watch glass which would be equal to 0.34079g which is seen on the table 1.2.

Characteristics of the Sublimate

Odor Faint, pleasant
Color White
Texture Crystal-like
Appearance Flaky with clear spikes
Table 1.3: Characteristics of the Sublimate

The students also observed the sublimate that was collected from the second procedure
which they characterized as having a flaky, clear spikes and thin crystal-like appearance and has
an ice-like texture. As for its odor, it has a faint and pleasant odor.

According to a research established in University in Tokyo, Benzoic acid is used as a

standard substance for both acidimetry and calorimetry. It can be purified by many techniques such
as distillation, recrystallization, sublimation and zone melting. (Tanaka & Yoshimori, 2000)

Sublimation and recrystallization are two present methods done by the students in order to
perform purification of the benzoic acid.

Benzoic acid is a solid that is crystalline in appearance, similar to white needles. (Garcia,
2018) The white needles were identified in the student’s experiments as the substance appeared
flaky with white spikes that has a crystal appearance.
 As for its odor that were identified as faintly pleasant, Benzoic acid is an organic compound
because it contains carbon, and it is also an aromatic carboxylic acid. It is aromatic because it has a
benzene ring in its chemical structure. Benzene is aromatic because it has alternating double bonds
between each carbon. (Garcia, 2018)

III. EXTRACTION AND FILTRATION

IV. EVAPORATION
V. COMPARISON OF THE COMPOUNDS AFTER SEPARATION

Table 4: Characteristics of the compounds after separation

Characteristics Sublimate Residue Precipitate

Odor Faint, pleasant Faint to none Faint to none
Color White White White
Appearance and Crystal-like with Smooth and Dry, coarse and
Texture Flaky and clear appeared to be appearing to be flaky
spikes appearance powdered with small with granules
granules

There may be some common characteristics present among the compounds but there are
still certain features that distinguish one from the other. All the three compounds have the same
color which is white. However, among the three compounds, two of which have a faint to none odor
while the sublimate had a faint but pleasant smell. The sublimate also had a different appearance
with its flaky and clear spikes appearance but is comparable to that of the precipitate which has a
flaky appearance with granules. Both the sublimate and the precipitate have a distinct similarity
which makes the residue differ only from the sublimate since it has a powdered appearance and
small granules which is similar to that of the precipitate.
VI. RECOVERY PERCENTAGE

Table 5: Percent Recovery of each compound

Total Weight of the Mixture=4.7077g Individual Recovery Percentage

Sublimate 0.3407g 0.3407g /1.5g 22.713%
Residue 4.3769g 4.3769g /0.5g 875.38%
Precipitate 2.9707g 2.9707g /2.5g 118.828%
Total Recovery Percentage
(0.3407g+ 4.3769g+ 2.9707g)/ 4.7077g
Total Recovery Percentage= 163.313%
 The Percent recovery for each compound was computed. The weight of the sublimate,
0.3407g was divided by the weight of the Benzoic Acid (1.5g) and was then multiplied to 100 to get
the individual recovery percentage of the sublimate which is equal to 22.713%. For the second
compound, the weight of the residue which is 4.3769g was divided to the weight of the Silicon
Dioxide which is equivalent to 0.5. This computation gives off the Individual Recovery Percentage of
the residue when multiplied to 100 and is equal to 875.38%. Lastly, the weight of the precipitate,
2.9707g was divided by 2.5g which is the weight of the Sodium Chloride to get the individual
recovery percentage of the precipitate when multiplied by 100 and this computation is equivalent to
118.828%.

The Total recovery Percentage was computed by dividing the combined weight of the
Sublimate, Residue and Precipitate to the Total Weight of the Mixture. It was then multiplied by 100
to get the Total Recovery Percentage which is equal to 163.313%.

Sublimate

The sublimate has a few recovery percent due to errors present in the procedure in the
experiment. One of the factors that have affected the result is the solubility of the benzoic acid. As
stated by Dr. Pahlavan “Do not add too much water or the solution will not be saturated and the
yield of purified benzoic acid will be reduced. Keep adding water in small amounts until all of the
benzoic acid is dissolved and the solution is boiling”. (Pahlavan, n.d.)

Since benzoic acid is mixed with other substances and has only 10 mL of distilled water
added to the whole mixture. Dr. Pahalavan indicated complete dissolution which hasn’t been
established in the procedure which lead to having incomplete purification of benzoic acid by
recrystallization.

Residue

As stated earlier, Silicon Oxide has been identified as the residue due to its poor solubility
with water. The residue has a large recovery percentage due to the improper execution of the prior
procedure which was sublimation. It has already been established that Benzoic Acid has a low
recovery percentage. With this, some of the impurities left from the benzoic acid that failed to
undergo through sublimation has also been included in the residue.

Typically, percent yields are understandably less than 100% because of the reasons
indicated earlier. However, percent yields greater than 100% are possible if the measured product
of the reaction contains impurities that cause its mass to be greater than it actually would be if the
product was pure.  (Foundation, 2019)
Precipitate

The same principle can be applied to the precipitate, Sodium Chloride because the recovery
percentage is over 100 %, producing 7.049 g from the original mass of 5g.

The possible factors that have affected the recovery percentage of the Sodium Chloride, is
the improper execution of the procedures. After evaporation, the students have observed that at the
center of the evaporating dish, the substance is actually moist, mushy and has a resemblance to a
wet confectioner’s sugar. On the other hand, the sides of the evaporating dish appear to have a
crumbly precipitate that is coarse in texture and has a flaky appearance.

This indicates that the students have incompletely performed evaporation due to the
presence of the moist substance at the center of the evaporating dish which contributes to the
weighing of the mass of the material.

Another factor is the presence of impurities due to the inappropriate execution of the before
procedures.

Impurities are substances inside a confined amount of liquid, gas, or solid, which differ from
the chemical composition of the material or compound. Impurities are either naturally occurring or
added during synthesis of a chemical or commercial product. During production, impurities may be
purposely, accidentally, inevitably, or incidentally added into the substance. (Freebase, 2019)
Figure 1. Flowchart of the summary of separation of components of a mixture

The figure shown above entails the results of the experiment that is carried out by the
students. After the mixture had undergone sublimation, the Benzoic acid became the sublimate
and the residue remained. The residue was extracted with water and filtered, the residue after
air dry was the Silicon dioxide and the filtrate that underwent evaporation was the Sodium
chloride.