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• DESCRIPTION • MATERIALS
Test different methods to separate a mixture of salt o Salt
and pepper. o Pepper
o Beakers, glass jars, or plates
• OBJECTIVE o A miscellaneous assortment of items for separating
This lesson demonstrates various separation the mixture (spoons, paper towels, tweezers, straws,
processes. Students explore different techniques for balloons, magnifying glasses, water, etc.)
separating a mixture of salt and pepper based on
physical properties. The lesson can be simplified to Always remember to use the appropriate safety
reinforce their understanding of different properties equipment when conducting your experiment.
of matter. Refer to the Safety First section in the Resource Guide
on pages 421–423 for more detailed information about
• CONTENT TOPICS safety in the classroom.
Scientific inquiry; properties of matter; mixtures;
separation processes; elements and compounds; Jump ahead to page 332 to view the
atomic structure Experimental Procedure.
Chemist®Activity
You Be TheLESSON Activity
1: Goofy Guide
Guides
Putty| page 329 329
LESSON 27: Separating Salt & Pepper
cause the lighter pepper to move above the salt, which can FORMULAS & EQUATIONS
then be scooped off the top. Likewise, lightly blowing on Pepper is known as piper nigrum and comes from a plant.
the mixture will cause the lighter pepper to move away The piperine molecule gives the pepper its spicy taste.
from the heavier salt (though students should be reminded
to make sure other students are out of the way when testing Piperine is an alkaloid, and its chemical formula is
this method). The mixture can also be separated by simply C17H19NO3.
picking out the crystals or flakes one by one.
Common table salt is mainly made up of the compound
Another physical property that can be used to separate sodium chloride.
the mixture is electric charge. Substances can gain or
lose electrons, becoming positively or negatively charged. The chemical formula for sodium chloride is NaCl.
Static electricity is the buildup of electric charges on the
Most table salts are made of about 97–99% NaCl. The
surface of an object, which occurs when electrons
remaining 1–3% is usually iodine and other ingredients.
are pulled from the surface of one material and relocated
onto the surface of another material. Some materials tend
to give up electrons easily and become positively
charged. Other materials tend to collect electrons from
CONNECT TO THE YOU BE THE
other materials.
CHEMIST CHALLENGE
In addition, like charges repel one another, while opposite For additional background information, please
charges attract one another. Therefore, a positively review CEF’s Challenge study materials online at
charged object will attract a negatively charged object, http://www.chemed.org/ybtc/challenge/study.aspx.
but two negatively charged objects will repel one another.
• Additional information on properties of matter
In the experiment, students can rub a balloon against their and physical separations can be found in the
hair, causing the balloon to collect electrons from their Classification of Matter section of CEF’s Passport
hair. Because the balloon is collecting extra electrons, it to Science Exploration: The Core of Chemistry.
becomes negatively charged. After charging the balloon,
students can hold it above the salt and pepper mixture and
slowly bring it closer. The positively charged pepper will
“jump” up quickly and stick to the balloon, leaving the salt HYPOTHESIS
behind. The salt remains on the table because it is heavier
than the pepper. However, if you move the balloon too uA mixture of salt and pepper can be
close, the salt will also jump up and attach to the balloon. separated by making use of different physical
properties, such as weight, color, and electric charge.
NOTES
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
1. Instruct the students to look at the mixture in
a jar or on a plate. Have them write down the
physical properties of the mixture and of the
individual components.
COMMUNICATION
Discuss the results as a class and review the activity sheet.
Review the information in the Scientific Inquiry section on
pages 14–16 to discuss the importance of communication
Fun Fact to scientific progress.
During the Middle Ages, salt was
extremely valuable for its role in
food preservation. However, during
this time, pepper was even
more expensive than salt.
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3. Define the following key terms. Then, provide an example of each by writing the example or drawing/pasting an
image of the example.
Mixture
Separation process
Physical property
Chemical property
Static electricity
4. Consider how making use of physical properties can help separate a salt and pepper mixture and why.
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1. Observe the mixture of salt and pepper in a jar or on a plate. Record the physical properties of the mixture and the
individual components below.
2. Identify the physical properties of the substances that may help to separate the mixture.
3. Experiment with different separation methods using the different tools supplied by your teacher. Record your results
to determine which method works best to separate the parts of the mixture.
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4. Consider what methods can be used to separate the mixture and test them. Record the results below, noting how
much of the mixture was separated using that method.
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6. Based on your experiment, can you think of any other methods that may work well to separate the mixture?
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8. Is your hypothesis valid? Why or why not? If not, what would be your next steps? ____________________________
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1. Define the following key terms. Then, provide an example of each by writing the example or drawing/pasting an
image of the example.
Element
Compound
Atom
Proton
Neutron
Electron
Electrically neutral
2. Why would scientists need to separate mixtures? (Provide at least one example.) ______________________________
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substance. Spoons may be used to scoop or measure a substance. Paper towels may be used to clean up messes. Tweezers may be used
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to pick up small objects. These materials may be used to separate a salt and pepper mixture based on the substances’ properties.
3. Define the following key terms. Then, provide an example of each by writing the example or drawing/pasting an
image of the example.
4. Consider how making use of physical properties can help separate a salt and pepper mixture and why.
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such as weight, color, and electric charge, because these different properties cause the salt and pepper to behave
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differently.
1. Observe the mixture of salt and pepper in a jar or on a plate. Record the physical properties of the mixture and the
individual components below.
2. Identify the physical properties of the substances that may help to separate the mixture.
3. Experiment with different separation methods using the different tools supplied by your teacher. Record your results
to determine which method works best to separate the parts of the mixture.
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4. Consider what methods can be used to separate the mixture and test them. Record the results below, noting how
much of the mixture was separated using that method.
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6. Based on your experiment, can you think of any other methods that may work well to separate the mixture?
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Because salt and pepper have different weights, they could be placed in water. The pepper is more likely to remain suspended on the
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surface, while the salt will fall to the bottom and may begin to dissolve.
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products, such as plastic, glass, or paper, from the rest. Recycling processes will make use of certain characteristics of the products to
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separate them from the trash. For example, a magnet is used to separate out some metals.
8. Is your hypothesis valid? Why or why not? If not, what would be your next steps? ____________________________
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Answer 1: Valid because the data support my hypothesis.
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Answer 2: Invalid because the data do not support my hypothesis. I would reject my hypothesis and could form a new one, such as …
1. Define the following key terms. Then, provide an example of each by writing the example or drawing/pasting an
image of the example.
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up these mixtures. Often, the components of a mixture are unknown, and a separation process can show what makes up that mixture.
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Separation processes are used to purify water for drinking and to produce different types of fuels from crude oil.