C H E M I S T RY

S E P A R A T I O N
M E T H O D S
W H Y S E PA R AT E ?

• To isolate the components of interest.

• To produce something.

• To make substance pure.

 HOW TO
S E PA R AT E ?
• Components have different qualities

– For example: solubility, size of particles,

density, boiling point and melting point

• Special qualities

– For example: Iron is magnetic, Sulfur

alone is not magnetic.
S E PA R AT I O N M E T H O D
• Chromatography: Used for separating components in inks, that are colored, such as pigments.

• Paper chromatography is based on pigments dissolving in water

S E PA R AT I O N M E T H O D
• Filtration: used to separate out solid matter that are not dissolved from fluid.

– Based on different particle sizes.

– Filter has a structure which only fluid can pass because of its smaller particles.
– Different kind of filters, some perform the experiment faster.
S E PA R AT I O N M E T H O D D I A G R A M
• Filtration
S E PA R AT I O N M E T H O D
• Extraction

– Used to separate pigments, flavors, and scents that are dissolved in solid or liquid matter.
– For example: Brewing coffee or tea
– Happens at the same time than filtration
S E PA R AT I O N M E T H O D
• Evaporation

– Used to separate homogeneous mixtures where there are dissolved solids. For example: Sugar
dissolved in water.
– The liquid components fade away and the solid components remain.
– Heating liquid and flat cup make this faster.
– Usually, mixture is heated until liquid is gone.
– Suitable to separate a soluble solid from a liquid
S E PA R AT I O N M E T H O D
• Crystallization

– Forming a solid crystal from a homogenous mixture (solution).

S E PA R AT I O N M E T H O D
• Distillation

– Used to separate homogeneous mixtures where there are dissolved solids so the that we also store the
liquid.
– Used to separate liquids: of different boiling points.
– Useful when we also require the liquid.
– Method: Heat liquid to its boiling point; collect, cool and condense the vapor; solid remains.
S E PA R AT I O N M E T H O D
• Fractional distillation

– Fractional distillation is carried out industrially on a very large scale in oil refineries.

• Fractional Distillation | Organic Chemistry | Chemistry | FuseSchool

• YouTube video • 4 minutes

The vapour rises up the distillation column and each fraction
“exits” the column at a certain height where
the temperature allows it to condense.