Question

Mrs. Marlow's class is conducting an investigation of a mixture of sand, iron filings, and salt. They were told that they must separate the mixture into pure sand, pure iron filings, and pure salt using only the physical properties of each component using the following supplies:

bar magnet

filter paper

plastic funnel

water

What is the BEST procedure for the students to follow in order to separate the mixture?

A.


B.


C.


D.

Answer 1

To effectively separate the mixture of sand, iron filings, and salt using the physical properties and the provided supplies, the students should follow these steps:

**A.** Use the bar magnet to separate the iron filings from the mixture:
1. Bring the bar magnet close to the mixture. The iron filings will be attracted to the magnet and can be removed from the mixture.
2. Collect the iron filings that adhere to the magnet and place them aside in a separate container.

**B.** Dissolve the salt in water:
1. Add water to the remaining mixture (sand and any salt) in a container. Stir it to dissolve the salt completely.
2. The salt will dissolve in the water, while the sand will not.

**C.** Filter the mixture to separate sand from saltwater:
1. Set up the plastic funnel with filter paper in a container (like a beaker or cup).
2. Pour the sand-saltwater mixture through the funnel. The sand will remain on the filter paper, while the saltwater will pass through into the container below.

**D.** Collect the salt from the saltwater:
1. To retrieve the salt, heat the saltwater solution in a shallow dish. As the water evaporates, salt crystals will form.
2. Once all the water has evaporated, the remaining substance is pure salt.

At the end of this procedure, the students will have separated the components into pure iron filings, pure sand, and pure salt.

The best option summarizing these steps would be: **A: Use a magnet to separate iron filings, B: Dissolve salt in water, C: Filter sand from saltwater, D: Evaporate water to collect salt.**