Separation of Salt from Sand - Lab Report Example

Separation of Salt from Sand Apparatus and Materials 1 balance 2 Hot plate 3 250 ml beaker 4 400ml beaker 5. 1 funnel 6. Coarse filter paper 7. 1 Erlenmeyer flask 8. 1 watch glass 9. 1 glass stirring rod 10. Sample of sand and salt mixture Procedure: 1. Collect the unknown percentage composition of salt and sand mixture about 10 to 15 grams. Name the sample as 1 and then continue the procedure. Each time while collecting the new sample of mixture number it accordingly. 2. Rinse all the beakers, flasks and evaporating basins with distilled water and let them dry. 3. Evaluate the mass of dry 250 ml beaker. Note that error should not be more than 0.01g. 4. Put entire mixture of sale of sand into the 250 ml beaker and then evaluate the mass of beaker again. The mass of beaker at this stage should be 10-15 grams more than the previous reading. 5. Add exactly 25ml of distilled water into the beaker so that the water can dissolve the salt. Stir with a stirring rod slowly for some time. It is better to take the water at room temperature as cold water is inappropriate for dissolving salt. Cover the beaker. 6. Evaluate the mass of watch glass with the filter paper. The mass of the filter paper with watch glass is important to determine the mass of sand. 7. Fold the filter paper in a set pattern that is shown below. 8. Place the filter paper in the funnel and let it adhere with the walls of the funnel by adding few drops of distilled water on sides of funnel. Now place the funnel in the Erlenmeyer flask. 9. Take the mixture of sand, salt and water, gently stir it again, and add it slowly through the filter paper funnel into the Erlenmeyer flask. Do not put the whole mixture in an instance. Put it lowly and let it filter through the filter paper and then ad some more amount slowly. Overfilling the funnel will ruin the filtration. 10. After emptying the beaker, take 5ml of distilled water and wash the beaker and rinse it into the filter paper assembly. It will help transfer any remaining particle of sand to the filter paper. Rinse the beaker again with 5ml of distilled water and repeat the step. Take 5ml distilled water and rinse the stirring rod. 11. Take two samples of 5 ml of distilled water and rinse the filter paper so that all the salt water gets transferred to the flask. 12. Give it some time so that all the water from the filter water is transferred to the flask. Now carefully separate the filter paper from the funnel and let it rest on the watch glass. Dry the filter paper with the help of microwave oven or let your instructor dry it. 13. Now determine the mass of dried filter paper that has sand in it with the watch glass. And not the reading. 14. Calculate the mass of 400ml beaker. Transfer the contentment of the Erlenmeyer flask to the 400ml beaker and rinse the Erlenmeyer flask with 10ml of water into the 400 ml beaker. 15. Put the 400 ml beaker on a hot plate and heat gently till all the water in the beaker evaporates. It is better to monitor the heat and slow the heat as the quantity of water decreased. 16. Let the beaker to come to room temperature after all the water gets evaporated. Be careful, there should not be any moisture left in the salt. 17. After the beaker comes to room temperature. Evaluate the mass of the beaker with the salt. 18. Place the beaker once again on the hot plate let it there for a little while. Let it come to room temperature again and gain note the mass of the beaker. If it is lees than the previous reading keep the reading and eliminate the previous reading. Keep the lower reading. But note do not over heat the beaker or do not overheat the dried salt. 19. Note all the reading and repeat the experiment if required with another sample of salt of sand. CALCULATIONS: 1. Calculate the percent sand in the mixture, using the equation shown below: 2. Calculate the percent salt in the mixture, using the equation shown below: 3. Calculate the Percent Recovery, using the equation shown below: Calculations and Findings NUMBER: _____________ 1. Mass of empty 250 ml beaker ___________ g 2. Mass of 250 ml beaker and sample ___________ g 3. Mass of sample ___________ g 4. Mass of watch glass + filter paper ___________ g 5. Mass of watch glass + filter paper + sand ___________ g 6. Mass of sand recovered __________ g 7. Percent sand in the mixture __________ % 8. Mass of empty 400 ml beaker ___________ g 9. Mass of 400 ml beaker and salt (1st drying) ___________ g 10. Mass of 400 ml beaker and salt (2nd drying) ___________ g 11. Mass of salt recovered __________ g 12. Percent salt in the mixture __________ % 13. Total mass of mixture recovered __________ g 14. Percent Recovery __________ % Handout Mixtures Mixture is a combination of two or more than two pure substances in which pure substances are combined physically not through a chemical reaction. The pure substances present in the mixture can be separated easily. Examples of natural mixtures are air, sea water, river water, etc. however, mixtures can be made by humans for various purposes; paint is an example of mixtures that is manufactured industrially and used extensively. In every day life mixtures are every where. Juices, mixed spices, salad dressing, etc are all mixtures. Types of mixtures The two types of mixtures are: i. Heterogeneous mixture ii. Homogeneous mixture Heterogeneous mixture A heterogeneous mixture is a type of mixture in which the mixed components are visible and can be seen easily. Example of heterogeneous mixtures are salt and pepper mixture, mud and water mixture etc. Homogeneous mixture Homogeneous mixture is a mixture in which the components of the mixtures are mixed in such a manner that none of the component is visible. It is impossible to see the particles of the mixed components. Example of homogeneous mixture are salt and water mixture, water and sugar mixture, air, etc. Components of Homogeneous mixture Two components of the homogeneous mixture are: Solute A solute is a substance that is mixed in the solvent. Solvent Solvent mixes the solute. In a water and salt mixture, salt is a solute and water is a solvent. Temperature has a great impact on the solubility of solute in the solvent. Solubility Solubility is the amount of solute that can be mixed in the solvent. Methods to separate substances of mixture are: i. Evaporation ii. Distillation iii. Chromatography iv. Crystallization v. Extraction Words Cited Adapted from V.L. Lechtanski, Inquiry-Based Experiments in Chemistry, Oxford University Press (2000) Read More