Question

How might you separate a mixture of iron filings and salt?

Answer 1

As we know that iron is a metal and thus possess magnetic characters. We are also aware of the method of magnetic separation where non-magnetic parts are separated from magnetic parts. Also, salts can be dissolved in warm water.

Complete answer:
As we know that a mixture of iron filing and salt can be easily separated by using a magnetic separation method and to do that we need a bar magnet and a piece of cloth. This method involves the separation of magnetic and non-magnetic substances from a mixture where the bar magnet attracts all the magnetic substances.

Now, to separate the iron filings from the mixture, we can first disperse the mixture on a small area of a table or floor and then use the piece of cloth to cover the magnet. After that we can use that magnet by pulling it over the mixture and as we know that iron is a metal possessing metallic properties, it will stick to the magnet and thus the salt and iron filing are separated. This method is commonly called the magnetic separation method. Therefore, from the above explanation we can say that the separation of the given mixture can be done by magnetic separation technique.

Note: Remember that not all the metals possess the magnetic attractions but some of them are less affected by the presence of a metal like the paramagnetic materials and the strongly affected ones are called ferromagnetic materials. Iron being a metal is strongly attracted to magnetic fields and thus can be easily separated from any mixture.