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ELEMENTS COMPOUNDS AND MIXTURES 1

The document explains the definitions and differences between elements, compounds, and mixtures, highlighting that elements cannot be chemically broken down, while compounds consist of chemically bonded elements. It also describes various methods for separating mixtures, including filtration, decanting, centrifugation, crystallization, distillation, solvent extraction, and chromatography. Additionally, it outlines criteria for purity and differences between mixtures and compounds.

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danielatwebaze
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6 views16 pages

ELEMENTS COMPOUNDS AND MIXTURES 1

The document explains the definitions and differences between elements, compounds, and mixtures, highlighting that elements cannot be chemically broken down, while compounds consist of chemically bonded elements. It also describes various methods for separating mixtures, including filtration, decanting, centrifugation, crystallization, distillation, solvent extraction, and chromatography. Additionally, it outlines criteria for purity and differences between mixtures and compounds.

Uploaded by

danielatwebaze
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ELEMENTS,

COMPOUNDS AND
MIXTURES
• An element is a substance which cannot be split
into two or more simpler substances by
chemical means. An element consists of
identical atoms e.g O2, N2, Na etc.

• A compound is a substance which consists of


two or more different elements chemically
bonded together. e.g. H2O, CO2, HCl

• A mixture is a physical combination of two or


more substances.
METHODS OF SEPARATING MIXTURES

FILTRATION APPARATUS 1. Filtration:


• Is used to separate an
undissolved solid from a solution
or liquid.
• It is done by passing the mixture
through a piece of filter paper in
a filter funnel.
• The solution which passes
through the filter paper is called
the filtrate.
• The solid that stays on the filter
paper is called the residue
2. Decanting
• Is the pouring off of a liquid from an undissolved
solid. It is suitable for solids that have heavy
particles e.g separating sand from water.

3. Centrifugation
• A centrifuge is a machine which spins test tubes
around at high speeds.
• The spinning forces the solid to the bottom of the
tube
• The liquid can be decanted from the solid. e.g
separating serum from blood components.
4. Crystallisation
• Is used to obtain a crystalline solid from solution.
• The solution is gently heated in an evaporating dish
until the crystallization point is reached.
• It is then left to cool and crystals eventually form
at the bottom of the evaporating basin.
• The crystals can either be filtered off or picked out
and dried between pieces of filter paper.
• If two dissolved substances have different
solubilities at different temperatures, fractional
crystallization is used to separate them. A warm
conc solution is cooled. The solute with a lower
solubility forms crystals.
5. Simple distillation
• Distillation is the process of boiling a liquid to form
vapour and then cooling the vapour to obtain the
liquid. It is used to obtain a solvent from solution.
• When salty water is heated, water being more
volatile excapes as steam.
• The steam is condensed in the liebig condenser to
form pure water as the distillate
• The salt is less volatile (higher boiling point) and
remains in the flask and is the residue
• Simple distillation can be used to obtain drinking
water from sea water on a large scale.
6. Fractional distillation
• Fractional distillation is
the process of separating
two liquids by distillation,
the distillate being
collected as fractions
which boil at different
temperatures.
• Fractional distillation is
used to separate mixtures
of miscible liquids with
different boiling points.
• Miscible liquids are liquids
which form a homogenous
mixture while immiscible
liquids are those which
form two layers.
• Fractional distillation uses a tall column in which
continuous evaporation and condensation of liquid
mixture occurs.
• The temperatures are higher at the bottom and
lower at the top of the column
• When vaporized, more volatile compound in the
liquids move further up the column than the less
volatile compound
• After a time, most volatile compound reaches the
condenser, where it changes into liquid. This is
collected as a distillate
7. Solvent Extraction
• Is the removal of a substance from its aqueous
solution by shaking with another solvent in which
the required substance is more soluble than in
water.
• The solvent used should be immiscible with water
8. Chromatography
• Is a process for separation of a mixture of solutes
by using the different rates of movement over a
porous medium e.g. filter paper caused by the
moving solvent.
How Paper chromatography is carried out
• As the solvent moves up by capillary attraction, it
carries components with it
• When the solvent front is about to reach the edge
of the chromatography paper, the paper is removed
and dried. The distance travelled by the solvent
front is measured.
• Components are identified by their colours if they
are coloured
• For colourless substances, a locating agent is used
to make the spots visible.
• The distance travelled by each component from the
baseline is measured.
•
Criteria for purity
• A pure substance contains only one type of
compound
Test for purity
a) Using chromatography
• If there is only a single developed spot on the
chromatogram, the substance is likely to be pure.
This can be checked by repeating the
chromatography using different solvents. If several
spots are seen, the substance is impure. We can’t
use chromatography to test every substance for
purity
b) Using melting point and boiling point data
• A pure substance has a sharp melting and boiling
point..
• If a substance is impure:
• The melting and boiling points are not sharp i.e. the
substance melts and boils over a range of temperatures
• Impurities raise the boling point and lower the melting
point
Differences between a mixture
and compound
Mixture Compound
• The substances can be • The elements cant be
separated by physical separated by physical
means means
• The properties are average • Its properties are quite
of those of substances in it different from those of the
e.g. colour and density elements in it
• Composition is fixed
• The composition by mass is
variable
• Energy is not usually • Energy is usually
absorbed or given out when absorbed or given out
mixture is made when compound is made

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