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Question 262 of 513

Which of the following techniques is most commonly used to separate a solid from a liquid in a suspension?

  • Filtration
  • Distillation
  • Chromatography
  • Evaporation

Correct Answer: A

Explanation
**Correct Option: A. Filtration** ### Detailed Explanation: **1. Understanding the Techniques:** - **Filtration:** This is a mechanical or physical process used to separate solid particles from a liquid or gas using a filter medium that allows the fluid to pass but not the solid. Commonly, filter paper or a sieve is used. - **Distillation:** This technique is used to separate components of a mixture based on differences in boiling points. It is typically used for separating liquids or for purifying liquids, not for separating solids from liquids. - **Chromatography:** This method separates components of a mixture based on their movement through a stationary phase while being carried by a mobile phase. It is primarily used for separating and analyzing mixtures of chemicals, especially in liquid or gas forms. - **Evaporation:** This process involves converting a liquid into vapor, which can then be condensed back into a liquid. It is often used to separate a solute from a solvent but is not effective for separating solid particles from a liquid suspension. **2. Why Filtration is the Correct Answer:** - In a suspension, solid particles are dispersed throughout a liquid. The goal is to separate these solid particles from the liquid. Filtration is specifically designed for this purpose. When a mixture is poured through a filter, the solid particles are trapped on the filter medium while the liquid passes through, effectively separating the two. - For example, if you have a mixture of sand and water, pouring it through filter paper will allow the water to pass through while the sand remains on the paper. **3. Why the Other Options are Incorrect:** - **B. Distillation:** This method is not suitable for separating solids from liquids in a suspension. It is used for separating liquids based on boiling points. For instance, if you have a mixture of water and alcohol, distillation can separate them, but it won't help in separating sand from water. - **C. Chromatography:** While effective for separating different substances in a mixture, chromatography is not used for separating solids from liquids in a suspension. It is more suited for analyzing the components of a solution or gas mixture. - **D. Evaporation:** This technique is used to remove a solvent from a solution, leaving behind the solute. For example, if you evaporate saltwater, the water will turn into vapor, and salt will remain. However, it does not separate solid particles from a liquid suspension effectively, as it relies on the liquid turning into vapor rather than filtering out solids. ### Summary of Key Points: - **Filtration** is the most effective method for separating solids from liquids in a suspension. - **Distillation** is used for separating liquids based on boiling points, not for solid-liquid separation. - **Chromatography** is for analyzing mixtures, not for separating solids from liquids. - **Evaporation** removes solvents but does not effectively separate solid particles from liquids. ### Revision Summary: - Filtration is the best method for separating solids from liquids in a suspension. - Distillation, chromatography, and evaporation serve different purposes and are not suitable for this specific separation. - Understanding the principles behind each technique helps in selecting the right method for separation tasks.
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