SCIENCE 7 PURE SUBSTANCES AND MIXTURES

Ways of Separating Mixtures

Filtration Evaporation Decantation

Magnetic
Separation

Simple Distillation Sieving Winnowing Picking

Mixtures can be separated from its components by physical means. The different methods of
separating mixtures are:

1. Picking is used to separate component of mixtures that are slightly large using hand or
picker.

Example: Separating stones and husks from rice grains

2. Winnowing is used to separate lighter component from heavier component of a mixture
by wind or blowing air.
Example: Removing rice husks from rice grain

3. Sieving is used to separate coarse particles from fine particles with the use of a sieve.

Example: Separating pebbles from sand using of sieve (screen)

4. Decantation is the process of separating solid from liquid by pouring the liquid leaving the
solid substance. Separating immiscible from miscible component can also be done
through this method.
Examples: Separating water from rice and oil from water

5. Filtration is a process of separating solid particles from liquid particles by passing the
liquid through a filter.

Example: Separating grated coconut meat from coconut milk. The filtered coconut meat is
the residue while the coconut milk is the filtrate.

6. Magnetic separation is used when one of the components of a mixture is a metal. This is
done with the use of a magnet.

Example: Glass making (removing of iron from silica sand)

1
SCIENCE 7 PURE SUBSTANCES AND MIXTURES

7. Evaporation is a process of separating the component of a mixture, usually solid and

liquid, by applying heat. A mixture of solid and volatile substances can also be separated
through this method.

Example: Salt making (heating under the sun or boiling the sea water making the water
evaporate leaving salt)

8. Simple distillation can be used to separate mixture of liquids with different boiling points
or those with volatile and non-volatile components.
Example: Separating acetone and water mixture

Open this link https://youtu.be/xMpfLi2fOM0 as supplementary material.