A scientist is working in a lab and accidentally combines two liquids that quickly form a solution. Which process could be used to separate the two liquids?
A. passing the liquids through a filter to collect one of them
B. heating the liquids and letting one boil away first
C. collecting one of the liquids with a spoon
D.waiting for the two liquids to separate
These are all the correct answers for: Separating Mixtures in Connexus.
1. heating the liquids and letting one boil away first
2. magnetism
3. Boil the water away, leaving the substance behind in the beaker.
4. filtration to collect the sand and distillation to collect the salt
The correct answer is B. heating the liquids and letting one boil away first.
To understand why, let's consider the properties of the two liquids. When the scientist accidentally combines the liquids, if they quickly form a solution, it suggests that they are miscible, meaning they can mix and dissolve completely in each other.
Option A, passing the liquids through a filter, is not an appropriate method in this case because the liquids have formed a solution. A filter is used to separate solids from liquids or liquids from liquids when they are not completely mixed. In this scenario, the liquids have already formed a solution, so the particles are evenly distributed throughout, making filtration ineffective.
Option C, collecting one of the liquids with a spoon, is also not a reliable method. Since the liquids have formed a solution, the molecules of both liquids are dispersed throughout. Using a spoon would not selectively collect one liquid since they are dissolved together.
Option D, waiting for the two liquids to separate, may not be feasible if the liquids are miscible and form a solution. If the liquids do not separate spontaneously over time, it suggests that they are not immiscible and will remain as a solution.
Therefore, option B, heating the liquids and letting one boil away first, is the most suitable method. This separation process is based on differences in boiling points. Each liquid has its specific boiling point, which is the temperature at which it changes from a liquid to a gas. By heating the mixture, the liquid with the lower boiling point will evaporate and turn into a gas more quickly, while the other liquid with the higher boiling point will remain. By collecting the evaporated gas, it can be condensed and separated from the other liquid, resulting in the separation of the two liquids.
The correct process that could be used to separate the two liquids is:
D. waiting for the two liquids to separate