In the laboratory, Austin is given a mixture of iron filings, sand, and salt. To separate the mixture, Austin uses a magnet, boiling water, and a filter. Which statement is true about the process Austin uses to separate this mixture? A. Austin uses only physical changes to separate the mixture’s components. B. Austin uses only chemical reactions to separate the mixture’s components. C. Austin uses both physical changes and chemical reactions to separate the mixture’s components. D. Austin uses neither physical changes nor chemical reactions to separate the mixture’s components.
Question
In the laboratory, Austin is given a mixture of iron filings, sand, and salt. To separate the mixture, Austin uses a magnet, boiling water, and a filter. Which statement is true about the process Austin uses to separate this mixture? A. Austin uses only physical changes to separate the mixture’s components. B. Austin uses only chemical reactions to separate the mixture’s components. C. Austin uses both physical changes and chemical reactions to separate the mixture’s components. D. Austin uses neither physical changes nor chemical reactions to separate the mixture’s components.
Solution
The correct answer is A. Austin uses only physical changes to separate the mixture’s components. Here's why:
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Austin uses a magnet to separate the iron filings from the mixture. This is a physical change because it only changes the arrangement of the mixture and not the individual substances themselves.
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He then uses boiling water to dissolve the salt. This is also a physical change because the salt is not chemically altered when it dissolves in water. It can be recovered by evaporating the water.
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Finally, Austin uses a filter to separate the sand from the saltwater. This is another physical change because it separates the substances based on their different physical properties (size and solubility), but does not change their chemical identities.
Therefore, all the processes Austin uses to separate the mixture are physical changes, not chemical reactions.
Similar Questions
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Katie's teacher has given her a sample that contains a mixture of salt, sand, and iron fillings. She is instructed to separate the mixture into the three individual components. What would be the best physical property to focus on for the first step in separating the mixture?adensitybelectrical conductivitycmagnetismdmelting point
Your teacher asked you to separate the iron-sand mixture using a magnet. What was the purpose of the magnet?a.To attract the iron components of the mixture.b.To grind the mixture, then separate them via filtration.c.To attract iron materials on one end of the magnet, and attract the sand particles on the other end.d.To attract the sand particles of the mixture.
Design an experiment that would allow you to separate out a mixture of iron filings, sand and salt.
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