Separation & Purification (Cambridge O Level Chemistry)

A student is told to produce the maximum amount of copper from a mixture of copper and copper(II) carbonate.

The student adds the mixture to an excess of dilute sulfuric acid in a beaker and stirs the mixture with a glass rod. The copper(II) carbonate reacts with the sulfuric acid, forming a solution of copper(II) sulfate but the copper does not react with the sulfuric acid.

The student then

• removes the unreacted copper from the mixture,
• converts the solution of copper(II) sulfate into copper by a series of reactions.

Describe two things that the student would observe when the mixture is added to the dilute sulfuric acid.

Describe how the student can produce pure dry copper from the mixture of copper and copper(II) sulfate solution.

The student then adds sodium hydroxide solution to the copper(II) sulfate solution to produce copper(II) hydroxide. 

[1]

[1]

After separating the copper(II) hydroxide from the mixture, the copper(II) hydroxide is heated strongly. The copper(II) hydroxide decomposes into copper(II) oxide and steam.

[2]

[1]

An ink is a mixture of coloured substances dissolved in water.

A sample of ink, K, is known to contain three different coloured substances.

Evaluate the use of the following methods to separate the coloured substances in the sample of ink, K.

• chromatography
• crystalisation
• filtration
• fractional distillation
• simple distillation

The apparatus shown can be used to separate water from ink.

The arrangement of the particles in the ink inside the flask is shown.

In the boxes below, draw the arrangement of particles that would be expected at A and B shown in part (b).

An important aspect of chemistry is purity and methods of purification.

Give an example of a substance used in everyday life which must be pure.

A list of techniques used to separate mixtures is given below.

[5]

Petroleum contains hydrocarbons which are separated by fractional distillation.

Some of the fractions obtained from petroleum are given below. State a use for each fraction.

bitumen ....................................................................

lubricating fraction ..............................................

paraffin fraction ........................................................

gasoline fraction ......................................................

A list of techniques used to separate mixtures is given below.

filtration
diffusion
fractional distillation
simple distillation
crystallisation
chromatography

From this list, choose the most suitable technique to separate the following mixtures.

 A technique may be used once, more than once or not at all.

Butane from a mixture of propane and butane.

Oxygen from liquid air.

Water from aqueous magnesium sulfate.

Potassium chloride from aqueous potassium chloride.

Silver chloride from a mixture of silver chloride and water.

The following techniques are used to separate mixtures.

From this list, choose the most suitable technique to separate the following.

methane from a mixture of the gases, methane and ethane.

Water from aqueous magnesium sulfate.

Iron filings from a mixture of iron filings and water.

Zinc sulfate crystals from aqueous zinc sulfate.

Hexane from a mixture of the liquids, hexane and octane:

Nerol can be extracted from some plants.

Crushed plant leaves containing nerol are mixed with an organic solvent called octane.

Nerol dissolves in octane.

Describe how you would separate the crushed plant leaves from the solution of nerol in octane.

The boiling point of nerol is 224 °C.

The boiling point of octane is 126 °C.

Explain how distillation separates nerol from the octane.

The mixture of coloured compounds in plant leaves can be separated by chromatography.

The apparatus is shown.

On the diagram: