Separating Components of a Mixture

Many different methods can be used to separate the components of a mixture from one another.  A couple of methods that you may have carried out in the laboratory are:

• filtration used to separate a heterogeneous solid-liquid mixture.  The mixture is passed through a barrier with fine pores, such as filter paper.  Copper sulfate, which is water-soluble, can be separated from sand by shaking with water.  On filtration the sand remains on the paper and the copper sulfate solution passes through it.
• distillation used to resolve a homogeneous solid-liquid mixture.  The liquid vaporizes, leaving a residue of the solid in the distilling flask.  The liquid is obtained by condensing the vapor.  Distillation can be used to separate the components of a water solution of copper sulfate.