Methods of Mixture Separation

1) Mechanical Separation (often by hand)

takes advantage of physical properties
such as color and shape.

Example: Recycling Plastic, Paper, Metal

 Methods of Mixture Separation
2) Magnetic Separation takes advantage of
the physical property of magnetism.

Example:
Separating Metals in
a Scrap Yard
 Magnetic Separation Example
• Turbo Beads Animation
• This video clip illustrate how tiny
(nanoparticle size) magnetic beads called
Turbo Beads can be used to separate
dissolved impurities (magnetic chemical
compounds) from water.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=vlGQ6wd8_Jk
 Methods of Mixture Separation
3) Filtration takes
advantage of
the physical
property of the
state of
matter. A
screen lets the
liquid particles
through, but
traps the solid
particles. Example: Filtering Coffee, Spaghetti
A filter can
also be used
to separate
solid
particles of
different
sizes.
(ex. a window
screen, an air
filter, a sand
sieve)
 Methods of Mixture Separation
4) Decanting:
To pour off a
liquid, leaving
another liquid
or solid behind.
Takes
advantage of
differences in
density.

Example: To decant a liquid from a precipitate

or water from rice.
 Methods of Mixture Separation
5 ) Distillation:
The
separation of
a mixture of
liquids based
on the
physical
property of
boiling
point.
Example: the distillation of alcohol or oil
 Distillation Animation
• This animation shows how two liquids
dissolved together can be separated by
distillation at their respective and different
boiling points.
• http://www.footprints-science.co.uk/
index.php?
module=2&type=Distillation&section=Secti
on1&info=10
A distillation tower or “still” used in
crude oil refining
 Methods of Mixture Separation
6) Evaporation:
Vaporizing a
liquid and
leaving the
dissolved
solid(s)
behind.
Used to
separate salt
solutions.

Example: Obtaining sea salt from sea water evaporation ponds

 Methods of Mixture Separation
7) Density Separation:

More dense components

sink to the bottom and
less dense components
float. The components
cannot be soluble within
each other.
 Methods of Mixture Separation
8) Centrifuge:
Circular
motion helps
denser
components
sink to the
bottom faster.

Examples: The separation of blood or DNA from blood

 DNA Separation Animation
• This video animation explains how DNA is
separated out of blood. Centrifuging is
used multiple times in the process.
• http://mmia.iupui.edu/application/files/
dna_isolation_rev.swf
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=8cYvyYOjzOc
 Methods of Mixture Separation
9) Paper
chromatography:
Uses the property of
molecular attraction
(molecular polarity) to
separate a mixture.
Different molecules
have varying molecular
attractions for the paper
(the stationary phase)
vs. the solvent (the
mobile phase)
Example: the separation of
plant pigments and dyes
 Chromatography Animation
• This animation shows how the different
molecular components of a mixture are
separated out based upon their varying
molecular attractions for the mobile phase
(a solvent like water) and the stationary
phase (like paper or resin beads).
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=0m8bWKHmRMM
 Methods of Mixture Separation
10) Fractional
Crystallization:
Dissolved
substances
crystallize out of a
solution once their
solubility limit is
reached as
the solution cools.

Examples: Growing Rock Candy or the Crystallization of a

Magma Chamber
 Fractional Crystallization
Animation
• This animation shows how fractional
crystallization occurs in natural magma
chambers (below ground) as the magma
cools and the different mineral components
reach their solubility limits at different
temperatures during the cooling process.
• https://davehirsch.com/other/animations/
settling.shtml