Investigation 1:
Separating Mixtures
By Mr. V. Calzada
Vocabulary
mixture
solution
solubility
saturation
solute
solvent
Vocabulary
• A mixture is a combination of two or more
substances/ingredients that can be separated with the use of
a filter or screen, the physical properties of its ingredients
stay the same, and a new substance is not created because
atoms don’t join together. The ingredients are not evenly
mixed.
Vocabulary
• A solution is a combination of two or more
substances/ingredients that can not be separated easily, the
physical properties of its ingredients change, and a new
substance is created because atoms chemically join. The
ingredients are evenly mixed.
Solute:
Salt
Solvent:
water
the substance that dissolves in a solvent.
the substance that does the dissolving of the solute
Vocabulary
• Solubility is the ability of a substance to dissolve.
Vocabulary
• Saturation is the point at which a substance/solute will no
longer dissolve in a solvent.
Introduction:
• We will be investigating the properties of solid and liquid materials
using a variety of tools and techniques.
Precautions to avoid hazards!
• Remember never to taste any materials unless you have been given
permission to do so.
• Don’t blow on dry chemicals as the powder could get in someone’s
eye.
• Cup your hands when taking the scent of a substance.
• If spills or any concerns occur, tell your teacher!
• Remember to practice safety procedures before, during, and after the
investigation.
Group Roles
• Leader keeps group on task.
• Recorder will write down
data.
• Getter 1 will get chemicals
from chemicals storehouse.
• Getter 2 will get materials
from materials station.
Assigned
Role
Assigned
Role 2
Assigned
Role 3
Assigned
Role 4
Group
1
Leader
Recorder
Getter 1
Getter 2
Group
2
Leader
Recorder
Getter 1
Getter 2
Group
3
Leader
Recorder
Getter 1
Getter 2
Scientific Method: Step 1: Problem
• Do physical and characteristics
properties of matter such as color,
texture, and solubility help to identify
simple mixtures and solutions?
Scientific Method: Step 2 Research
• What is a physical property?
• Any properties that can observed with your 5 senses.
• What is characteristic property?
• Properties that will never change in matter.
Physical and Characteristic
Properties of Matter
Scientific Method: Step 3: Hypothesis
“Properties such a color, texture,
and solubility can help identify
combined substances as either
mixtures or solutions.”
Scientific Method: Step 4: Plan to test the
Hypothesis
Gather your materials.
Specific types and amounts.
3 to 4 hand lenses
6 50 ml cups
1 5cc spoon
1 50 ml syringe
1 paper towel roll
Chemicals
5 cc of gravel
5 cc of powder
3 sticky notes
1 coffee filter
Volume
5 cc of kosher salt
Scientific Method: Step 4: Plan to test the
Hypothesis
Procedures:
Part 1: Observe and Compare properties of materials .
1. Getter 1 will get 3 50 milliliter cups
2. Getter 2 will get 3 sticky notes.
3. Team labels cups with a “G” “P” and “S” (Team Leader keep group on task)
4. Tape labels to cups.
5. Getter 1 gets 5cc of gravel in the G cup.
6. Getter 2 gets 5 cc of powder in the P cup.
7. Leader gets 5 cc of kosher salt in the S cup.
Scientific Method: Step 4: Plan to test the
Hypothesis
Procedures:
Part 2: Observe and Compare properties of materials by adding water to each cup.
1. Getter 2 uses a 50 ml syringe and adds 50 ml of water to the gravel.
1. Fully submerge the syringe in the water and absorb water from the 1 liter container of
water.)
2. Precautions:
1. Point syringe away from others.
2. Use paper towels to clean up spills.
3. Slowly pour water into cups.
2. Getter 1 gets a craft stick and mixes the 50 ml of water with the 5 cc of gravel.
3. Team observes and discusses while recorder writes down team observations.
1. (Did the physical properties of the gravel and water change?)
Scientific Method: Step 4: Plan to test the
Hypothesis
Procedures:
Part 3: Separating mixtures with screens.
1. Getter 2 label a second set of cups “G”, “P”, and “S”.
2. Place a screen over an empty, labeled cup.
3. Stir the mixture thoroughly.
4. Pour the mixture of gravel and water through the screen into the
second empty cup.
1. Were you able to separate the mixture?
5. Recorder write down your team results.
6. Repeat steps 1 – 4 for the powder/water mixture.
7. Repeat steps 1 - 4 for the salt/water mixture.
Scientific Method: Step 4: Plan to test the
Hypothesis
Procedures:
Part 4: Separating mixtures with filters.
(If the screen doesn’t separate the mixture, repeat the process with a filter paper
and funnel.)
1. Insert three wooden legs into a clear plastic funnel.
2. Prepare a filter paper by folding the round paper filter in quarters, opening it
up to form a cone, and placing it in the funnel.
3. Mix the powder and water mixture through the filter.
4. Record your results.
5. Repeat steps 1 – 4 for the salt and water mixture.
6. Record your results.
Scientific Method: Step 5: Test the
Hypothesis
Make observations by collecting and analyzing data.
Procedures:
Part 1: Observe and Compare properties of materials .
1. Getter 1 will get 3 50 milliliter cups
2. Getter 2 will get 3 sticky notes.
3. Team labels cups with a “G” “P” and “S” (Team Leader keep group on task)
4. Tape labels to cups.
5. Getter 1 gets 5cc of gravel in the G cup.
6. Getter 2 gets 5 cc of powder in the P cup.
7. Leader gets 5 cc of kosher salt in the S cup.
Scientific Method: Step 5 Test the
Hypothesis
Make Observations.
Observable
Physical
Properties!
Collect data
Analyze data
Color
Gravel
Powder
Salt
(sodium Chloride)
Texture
Particle
shape
Particle size Other:
Scent/Odor
Scientific Method: Step 5 Test the
Hypothesis
Make Observations.
Observable
Physical
Properties!
Collect data
Analyze data
Color
Texture
Particle
shape
Particle size Other:
Scent/Odor
Gravel
Multicolored
Rough,
sharp
Irregular
shape
Different
sizes
No odor
Powder
White opaque
Smooth
Round
Microscopic
, small
Beach
water
Salt
White
transparent
Sharp
Cube
Small
Salty
(sodium
Chloride)
Scientific Method: Step 5 Test the
Hypothesis
What do you think
might happen if you
add water to each cup
containing the dry
materials?
Scientific Method: Step 5: Test the Hypothesis
Procedures:
Part 2: Observe and Compare properties of materials by adding water to each cup.
1. Getter 2 uses a 50 ml syringe and adds 50 ml of water to the gravel.
1. Fully submerge the syringe in the water and absorb water from the 1 liter container of
water.
2. Precautions:
1. Point syringe away from others.
2. Use paper towels to clean up spills.
3. Slowly pour water into cups.
2. Getter 1 gets a craft stick and mixes the 50 ml of water with the 5 cc of gravel.
3. Team observes and discusses while recorder writes down team observations.
1. (Did the physical properties of the gravel and water change?)
Scientific Method: Step 5 Test the
Hypothesis
Make Observations.
Collect data
Analyze data
Gravel and water
Powder and water
Salt and water
Observable
Physical
Properties!
Scientific Method: Step 5 Test the
Hypothesis
Make Observations.
Collect data
Observable
Physical
Properties!
Analyze data
Gravel and water
Gravel got wet but properties remained the same. The
water properties remained the same.
Powder and water
The powder is wet but properties remained the same. The
water got cloudy and turned white.
Salt and water
The salt dissolved (got small). The water properties
remained the same except for the taste.
What is a mixture?
• When you put two or more materials/substances together, you make
a mixture.
• The G cup has a mixture of gravel and water and so forth.
• Breakfast cereal, chocolate milk, pancake batter, egg salad are all
examples of mixtures.
• The substances in a simple mixture can always be separated with the
use of a filter or a screen.
• The substances mix unevenly.
• The substances when mixed together are not transparent.
• Substances keep their physical properties.
• No new substances are created.
How can mixtures be
separated?
Scientific Method: Step 5: Test the
Hypothesis (Making Observations by collecting and analyzing data.)
Procedures:
Part 3: Separating mixtures with screens.
1. Getter 2 label a second set of cups “G”, “P”, and “S”.
2. Place a screen over an empty, labeled cup.
3. Stir the mixture thoroughly.
4. Pour the mixture of gravel and water through the screen into the second empty
cup.
1. Were you able to separate the mixture?
5. Recorder write down your team results.
6. Repeat test over several trials so the data collected can be dependable and
reliable.
7. Repeat steps 1 – 4 for the powder/water mixture.
8. Repeat steps 1 - 4 for the salt/water mixture.
Scientific Method: Step 5 Test the
Hypothesis
Make observations
Collect data.
Analyze data.
Screen
Gravel
Powder
Salt
Filter Paper
Scientific Method: Step 5 Test the
Hypothesis
Make observations
Collect data.
Analyze data.
Screen
Gravel
Yes
Powder
No
Salt
No
Filter Paper
Scientific Method: Step 5: Test the Hypothesis
Procedures:
Part 4: Separating mixtures with filters.
(If the screen doesn’t separate the mixture, repeat the process with a filter paper
and funnel.)
1. Insert three wooden legs into a clear plastic funnel.
2. Prepare a filter paper by folding the round paper filter in quarters, opening it
up to form a cone, and placing it in the funnel.
3. Mix the powder and water thoroughly.
4. Pour the mixture through the filter.
5. Repeat tests over several trials so data can be dependable and reliable.
6. Record your results.
7. Repeat steps 1 – 5 for the salt and water mixture.
8. Record your results.
Scientific Method: Step 5 Test the
Hypothesis
Make observations
Collect data.
Analyze data.
Screen
Gravel
Yes
Powder
No
Salt
No
Filter Paper
Scientific Method: Step 5 Test the
Hypothesis
Make observations
Collect data.
Analyze data.
Screen
Filter Paper
Gravel
Yes
Powder
No
Yes
Salt
No
No
Scientific Method: Step 5 Plan to Test the
Hypothesis
Observations:
• The gravel and powder mixture was separated with
a simple screen so it must be a simple mixture
• The powder and powder mixture was separated
with a coffee filter so it must be a simple mixture.
• The salt and water mixture could not be separated
with the screen or filter. The salt just went right
through the holes.
Scientific Method: Step 6 Conclusion
Arrive at a conclusion:
• The salt/water mixture is not a simple mixture. The salt
seems to disappear in the water and the mixture can’t be
separated from the water with a filter. It is a special kind of
mixture, called a solution. Salt seem to disappears but in
reality it dissolves (gets smaller and smaller) in water to
make a saltwater solution.
• My hypothesis was correct. Properties like solubility of a
substance can help to identify a mixture as a either a simple
mixture that can be separated or a solution in which the
substances can not be easily separated
A salt water
solution can only
be separated
through
evaporation.
Notes over Solutions
• Solutions can not be separated through the use of a filter or
screen.
• Solutions are transparent.
• In a solution, the atoms in substances tend to chemically join
and create new substances.
• The substances in a solution mix evenly.
• Solutions can be separated through evaporation or other
complicated process like boiling.