CHAPTER 2: SEPARATING AND ANALYSING

SEPARATING MIXTURES
The different substances in mixtures are usually easily separated from one another. The
method you use depends upon the type of mixture you have.
1- Paper Chromatography
This is good for separating dissolved substances that have different colours, such as inks
and plant dyes. It works because some of the coloured substances dissolve in the liquid
better than others, so they travel further up the paper.
Separating dissolved substances

2- Filtration
Filtration is good for
separating an insoluble
solid from a liquid. (An
insoluble substance is
one that does not
dissolve).
Sand, for example, can be separated from a mixture of sand and water using filtration. That's
because sand does not dissolve in water.
Note: Separating insoluble solid from liquid

3- Evaporation / Recrystallization
This is good for separating a soluble solid from a liquid (a soluble substance does dissolve,
to form a solution).
For example copper sulphate crystals can be separated from copper sulphate solution using
evaporation. Remember that it is the water that evaporates away, not the solution.
Note: Separating a soluble solid from a liquid

4- Simple distillation
This is good for separating a liquid from a solution. For example, water can be separated
from salty water by simple distillation. This method works because the water evaporates
from the solution, but is then cooled and condensed into a separate container. The salt does
not evaporate and so it stays behind.
Note: Separating a liquid from a solution

.
5- Fractional distillation
This is good for separating two or more liquids from each other. For example, ethanol
(alcohol) can be separated from a mixture of ethanol and water by fractional distillation. This
method works because the two liquids have different boiling points.
Note: Separating two or more liquids

Water and ethanol solution is heated.

The ethanol reaches boiling point and starts

to evaporate.

The ethanol has evaporated, and the water

vapour has been cooled and condensed.

6- Solute extraction (Separating two immiscible substances)

For example: Oil and water- they are immiscible and will not mix with
each other. By using separating funnel, they will be separated. ~The
water which has higher density will be collected first and then you can collect the oil which
has lower density and stays at the top of the water.

Collecting Gases such as hydrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, ammonia and

chlorine
These gases are collected in different ways, depending upon their
density and solubility in water.

1- Upward delivery
If a gas is less dense than air, it is often more convenient to collect it
in a gas jar or test tube by upward delivery.
The gas produced in a chemical reaction is passed through a
delivery tube into the gas jar, where it rises and takes up the space
at the top of the jar - pushing the air in the jar down, and out at
the bottom.
This works well for hydrogen and ammonia, which are both less
dense than air. The equipment must be used in a fume cupboard
when ammonia is collected, because ammonia is harmful and has a
sharp, choking smell.
2- Downward delivery
If a gas is denser than air, it is often more convenient to collect it in
a gas jar or test tube by downward delivery. The gas produced in a
chemical reaction is passed through a delivery tube into the gas jar,
where it sinks and pushes the air out of the top.
This works well for carbon dioxide and chlorine, which are both
denser than air. The equipment must be used in a fume cupboard
when chlorine is collected, because chlorine is toxic and
has a sharp, choking smell.
3- Collecting gases over water
Sometimes gases are collected over water. The gas
produced in a reaction is bubbled through a trough of
water and into an upturned gas jar filled with water. The
bubbles of gas collect in the top of the gas jar and push
the water out of the bottom. If enough gas is produced it
completely replaces the water in the gas jar. A glass lid is then slid under the gas jar, which
is then removed from the trough of water and turned the right way up.
This works well for insoluble gases such as hydrogen, or gases that do not dissolve easily in
water, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. Ammonia and
chlorine are readily soluble in water and are not collected
this way.

4- Gas syringe
Collecting into a gas syringe is fine if you want to measure the volume of the gas. To test the
gas, though, you would have to transfer it to a test tube using one of the first three methods.

TESTING IONS AND GASES

In many scientific fields, such as forensics, it is useful for scientists to

be able to detect particular elements or compounds, or to identify
unknown substances. To do this, they use a range of chemical tests.
They also carry out titrations to determine how much acid or alkali is in a
solution.
1- Using flame tests to identify metal ions
Flame tests are used to detect the presence of a particular metal ion in a compound. Metal
ions change the colour of a flame when they are heated in it. Different metal ions give
different colours to the flame - so flame tests can be used to identify the presence of a
particular metal in a sample.
This is how you would carry out a typical flame test:
1. a piece of nichrome wire is dipped into concentrated
hydrochloric acid
2. Then into a solid compound
3. Then into a blue Bunsen flame
4. A colour is seen in the flame which identifies the metal ion in the
compound

Flame colours and the metal ion they represent

Metal ion Formula of ion Flame colour

Lithium Li+ Red

Sodium Na+ Orange

Potassium K+ Lilac

Calcium Ca+2 Brick Red

Copper Cu+2 Blue/Green

Barium Ba+ Apple Green

2- Test on Solutions in Water

Some reactions form a precipitate - this is an insoluble solid formed in the reaction. Precipitates often
appear as small particles suspended in a solution.

A precipitate may be formed when a few drops of sodium hydroxide are added to a solution of a
metal compound.

3- Identifying Anions
A. Testing for carbonate ions
Metal carbonates contain carbonate ions, CO32-. The presence of carbonate ions can
be confirmed using a two-step experiment:

- Acid + carbonate  salt + water + carbon dioxide

Step 1: Carbonates react with dilute acids to produce carbon dioxide and
water

For example:

magnesium carbonate + sulfuric acid → magnesium sulfate + carbon dioxide + water

MgCO3(s) + H2SO4(aq) → MgSO4(s) + CO2(g) + H2O(l)

Step 2: Collect the gas given off and bubble it through limewater

Limewater is calcium hydroxide solution. It turns cloudy white if carbon dioxide is

bubbled through it:

calcium hydroxide + carbon dioxide → calcium carbonate + water

Ca(OH)2(aq) + CO2(g) → CaCO3(s) + H2O(l)

The presence of the white precipitate confirms that carbonate ions were originally

present in step 1.

Clear  Milky

B. Testing for halide ions, sulphates and nitrates

Many ionic compounds are soluble in water, and so they form solutions that contain anions.

4- Tests for gases

Hydrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, ammonia and chlorine can be identified using different
tests.

A. Hydrogen (H2)
Test: Put in a lighted splint (a flame)
Result: `Pop` or `squeaky pop` in a test tube of hydrogen.

B. Oxygen (O2)
Test: Put in a glowing splint
Result: Splint relights in a test tube of oxygen.

C. Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Test: Pass gas through limewater
Result: Carbon dioxide turns limewater milky.

D. Ammonia (NH3)
Test: Put in a piece of damp red litmus paper
Result: paper goes

E. Chlorine (Cl2)
Test: Put in a piece of damp blue litmus paper
Result: Paper goes red then white (decolourised)
QUESTIONS
1. In flame testing, what element is indicated by an orange flame?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. When doing a flame test, what element is indicated by a purple/lilac flame?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. Which ion can be detected in solution by adding dilute sodium hydroxide and then
warming, before testing the gas given off with damp red litmus paper? A blue colour is a
positive result.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. Many ions can be detected in solution by adding another solution and observing the
colour of the solid formed. What term is given to a solid formed in a reaction between two
solutions?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. What solution is added to test for the presence of transition metal ions in solution?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. What is the colour of the solid hydroxide formed when testing for copper(II) ions?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. A solution contains some metal ions. Sodium hydroxide is added and a brown solid forms.
What ion is most likely to be present?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. Dilute hydrochloric acid is added to a colourless solution. Bubbles appear immediately
and this gas turns limewater cloudy. What ion was present in the solution?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. A mystery colourless solution has some dilute hydrochloric acid added and nothing
happens. Then, some barium chloride is added and a white solid forms. What ion is present?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. A mystery solution contains a sodium halide. Dilute nitric acid is added, and then some
silver nitrate solution. A cream precipitate is formed. What halide ion is present?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..