Separating Mixtures Lab

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Rachel Cranny February 24, 2012 Partner: Megan Jones Separating Mixtures Lab Purpose: The purpose of this lab report was to separate the mixture of sand, salt, and iron filings. Introduction: Matter is made up of pure substances and mixtures. The way to determine if something is a mixture or pure substance is by looking at the particles in the substance. If all of the particles present are identical, it is a pure substance, but if all of the particles are different, it is a mixture. A pure substance can either be an element or a compound, and they are made of the same type of atoms or molecules. To figure out which one it is, you look at the particles. Elements are made from only one type of atom, whereas compounds are made from two or more types of atoms. A mixture can be classified as either homogeneous or heterogeneous. Mixtures are physically combined and are separated by using the physical properties of the substances shown in the mixture. To figure out which one is which, you look at the physical characteristics of the mixture. If the two or more elements present in the mixture look uniform (or normal), it is a homogeneous mixture, but if you can clearly tell that there are two or more elements present it is a heterogeneous mixture. Procedure: 1. Get the magnet and put it in a small plastic bag. 2. Wave it slowly around the cup of sand, salt, and iron filings until all of the iron has been attracted to the bag and removed from the cup. 3. Put the sand and salt into a beaker filled with 60 mL of water, and then stir it until you can’t see the salt anymore and the sand is settled at the bottom. 4. Get a ring stand and place the iron ring on it, then put in a funnel cup with filter paper inside of it. Then place a new beaker underneath the funnel cup. 5. Pour the water and sand into the filter paper and wait until all of the

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