Briefly explain the separation techniques with diagram: crystallization
Crystallization is a separation technique used to separate a solid dissolved in a liquid. It involves the formation of crystals from a solution, which allows for the isolation of the solid component.
The process of crystallization can be explained with the following diagram:
1. Start with a solution: Begin with a solution that contains the substance you want to separate. This solution may be obtained by dissolving the solid in a suitable solvent.
2. Heating: Heat the solution to increase its temperature. Heating is done to dissolve the maximum amount of solid in the solvent, forming a saturated solution. This step is crucial for obtaining a concentrated solution.
3. Cooling: Gradually cool the saturated solution. As the temperature decreases, the solubility of the solute decreases, resulting in the formation of crystals. The crystals start to precipitate out of the solution and grow larger over time.
4. Filtration: Once a sufficient amount of crystals has formed, separate the crystals from the remaining liquid using filtration. A funnel and filter paper are commonly used for this purpose. The crystals are retained on the filter paper, while the liquid (known as the mother liquor) passes through.
5. Washing: Wash the collected crystals with a small amount of a suitable solvent to remove impurities adsorbed on their surface. This step helps in obtaining purer crystals.
6. Drying: Finally, dry the washed crystals to remove any remaining moisture. This can be done by leaving the crystals to air dry or using an oven or desiccator.
By following these steps, one can successfully separate the solid component from a solution using the crystallization technique.