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Difficulty: EasyFiltration, Evaporation, and Crystallization

A laboratory mixture contains insoluble chalk powder (calcium carbonate) suspended in water. Which physical separation technique is most appropriate for collecting the chalk as a residue and the clear water as a filtrate?

  1. FiltrationAnswer
  2. B
    Evaporation to dryness
  3. C
    Crystallization
  4. D
    Fractional distillation

Answer

Filtration
Filtration is the standard method for separating an insoluble solid from a liquid. The filter paper acts as a mechanical sieve; insoluble chalk particles remain on top as the residue, while pure liquid water passes through as the filtrate.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the physical state and solubility of the components in the mixture.
Chalk (calcium carbonate) is an insoluble solid suspended in liquid water.
Choosing the correct separation technique depends on whether the solute is soluble or insoluble in the solvent.
2
Select the separation technique designed for insoluble solid-liquid mixtures.
Filtration is selected because the filter paper pores trap the insoluble chalk particles (residue) while letting water molecules pass through (filtrate).
Techniques like evaporation or distillation are intended for soluble solutes or miscible liquids, whereas filtration directly separates suspended particles.

Key Concept

Separation of insoluble solids from liquids using filtration
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Filtration, Evaporation, and Crystallization