S e pa r at i n g s u b s ta n c e s

1 Seawater can be purified using this apparatus: 5 In a chromatography experiment, eight coloured
substances were spotted onto a piece of filter paper.
B Three were the basic colours red, blue, and yellow.
The others were unknown substances, labelled
A – E. This shows the resulting chromatogram:
C

seawater
beaker

heat

a i W
 hat is the maximum temperature recorded
on the thermometer, during the distillation? a Which one of substances A – E contains only
one basic colour?
ii H
 ow does this compare to the boiling point
b Which contains all three basic colours?
of the seawater?
c The solvent was propanone. Which of the three
b In which piece of apparatus does evaporation
basic colours is the most soluble in propanone?
take place? Give its name.
c i Which is the condenser, A, B, or C?
ii Where does the supply of cold water enter? 6 The diagram below shows a chromatogram for
d Distillation is used rather than filtration, to a mixture of amino acids.
purify seawater for drinking. Why?

2 Gypsum is insoluble in water. You are asked to

purify a sample of gypsum that is contaminated solvent
front
with a soluble salt.
a Which of these pieces of apparatus will you use?
Bunsen burner filter funnel tripod
distillation flask conical flask pipette 12 cm 7.2 cm
sample
thermometer condenser gauze placed here
stirring rod filter paper beaker on pencil line
5.2 cm
b Write step-by-step instructions for the procedure.
initial
3 Argon, oxygen, and nitrogen are obtained from air solvent level
by fractional distillation. Liquid air, at 2250 °C, is
warmed up, and the gases are collected one by one.
a Is liquid air a mixture, or a pure substance? The solvent was a mixture of water, butanol, and
b Explain why fractional distillation is used, ethanoic acid.
rather than simple distillation. a Using the table of Rf values, identify
c During the distillation, nitrogen gas is obtained the two amino acids.
first, then argon and oxygen. What can you say b Which of them is less soluble in the solvent?
about the boiling points of these three gases? c How will the Rf values change if the solvent
travels only 6 cm?
4 A mixture of salt and sugar has to be separated,
using the solvent ethanol. 7 You have three colourless solutions. Each contains
a Draw a diagram to show how you will separate an amino acid you must identify.
the salt. Explain how to do this using chromatography.
b How could you obtain sugar crystals from the Use the terms Rf and locating agent in your answer,
sugar solution, without losing the ethanol? and show that you understand what they mean.
c Draw a diagram of the apparatus for b.