Question

In general, what is used to separate mixtures?

Answer 1

Remember the difference between a mixture and a compound.

Explanation:

In general these 5 are used to separate mixtures (but not the compounds).

• filtration
• evaporation
• separating funnel
• crystallization
• simple distillation
• fractional distillation
• sublimation
• magnetism

Filtration is used to separate insoluble substances from water (or a solution).

Evaporation is used to get solute from the solution. in this case solution must have a low boiling point than solute.
{Sometimes chances are that our desired solute gets decomposed that's why chemists usually don't prefer it.}

Separating funnel is used to separate mixture of liquids who can not be mixed (i.e. immiscible liquids ).

For crystallization click on this link.Why does crystallization separate mixtures?

Simple Distillation is used to separate solvent from the solute.(I.e. separating water from salty water.)

Fractional distillation is used to separate two liquids that are mixed together.

Sublimation can be used to get a salt or any substance from a mixture of salts that sublimes i.e changes directly from solid to gas instead to liquid. For example dry ice `CO_2`.

Magnetism is used to separate a mixture of magnetic substance from a nonmagnetic substance i.e separating iron can be separated from gold mixture because its magnetic.