Separation of Mixtures

Separation Techniques
If one component of the mixture has magnetic properties, you can use a magnet to separate the mixture. Cobalt, iron and nickel all have magnetic properties. Note that not all metals are magnetic and magnetism is not a method to separate metals from non-metals. Gold, silver and mercury are examples of non-metal substances. Magnetism is however a way to separate magnetic substances from non-magnetic substances is. Magnetism as a separation method is done by taking any magnetic force (Electro magnets included) and moving it above an insoluble substance. Magnetism is only effective in insoluble substances. Examples of magnetic separation include the extraction of iron ore from surrounding silicate. Magnetic separation is also used to separate magnetic substances from waste water. Filtration is a technique that will separate a solid that has not yet dissolved in a liquid. Take a mixture of a solid and liquid and run it through a filter, the liquid will pass through the filter and you will be left with the sold. The filter has little holes in it that are small enough to only let liquid through. Filtration is not a technique to separate solids, separating solids like that is called sifting. Example of filtration includes your kidney. Kidneys use the same principals but with blood. Another example of filtration is when you make coffee. Making coffee includes the use of a coffee filter. Not that you can do different things with different filters. Extremely fine filters will separate grains of sand from water. Evaporation is the method of separating a substance with heat. Evaporation works when you take a substance, heat it up and let one of the components evaporate so you’re left with the residue which is the other component. In India, citizens would often boil saltwater to obtain salt. The problem with evaporation is that you can only get one component from the substance and it’s usually the one with the higher boiling point. Do not confuse