Lab 2 Separation of a Mixture of Solids

Title: Separation of a Mixture of Solids

Purpose: Learn and demonstrate how to separate different ingredients from a mixture of solids using different methods based on the properties of each ingredient.

Procedure: I weighed mixture and tools, and proceeded to begin separating each ingredient. I used a magnet to separate the iron from the mixture. Then I heated the mixture in water to get the non-soluble sand out. Then I filtered out the benzoic acid after cooling it into a crystal form. Lastly, I allowed the water to evaporate leaving behind only the salt. If any party was interested water does not evaporate fast enough for my liking.
Data:

SEPARATING IRON
SUBSTANCE/ITEM MASS OBSERVATIONS
WEIGHING DISH .6 G
MIXTURE + WEIGHING DISH 5.1 G
NET. MASS OF MIXTURE 4.5 G
10 CM SQUARE OF PAPER .9 G
IRON FILINGS ON PAPER 2.1 G
NET MASS OF FILINGS 1.2 G

SEPARATING SAND
SUBSTANCE/ITEM MASS OBSERVATIONS
WEIGHING DISH .6 G
SAND + WEIGHING DISH 1.7 G
NET. MASS OF SAND 1.1 G

SEPARATING BENZOIC ACID
SUBSTANCE/ITEM MASS OBSERVATIONS
PAPER CUP 10.3 G
FILTER PAPER 1 G
BENZOIC ACID CRYSTALS + FILTER PAPER 1.5 G
NET. MASS OF BENZOIC ACID CRYSTALS .5 G I HAVE A LITTLE LEFTOVER BENZOIC ACID AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CUP THAT I COULDN’T GET TO POUR OUT, AND A FEW CRYSTALS LEFT IN WATER AFTER FINISHED WITH THIS STEP THAT APPEARED LATER WHILE EVAPORATING.

SEPARATING TABLE SALT
SUBSTANCE/ITEM MASS OBSERVATIONS
PAPER CUP 10.3 G
SALT CRYSTALS + PAPER CUP 11.4 MAY HAVE BEEN SOME ACID CRYSTALS STILL AT SURFACE OF WATER
NET. MASS OF SALT CRYSTALS 1.1

Overall Results
Substance Mass Percentage
Iron Filings 1.2 g 26.67 %
Sand 1.1 g 24.44%
Benzoic Acid .5 g 11.11%
Table Salt 1.1 24.44%
Whole Mixture 4.5 100.00%
Unaccounted/Marginal error .6 13.33%

Questions:

A. I thought it was rather obvious to use the magnet for the iron filings, but really did not have an educated guess for how to separate the rest.

B.