Question

Name the technique used to separate butter from the curd?

Answer 1

The separation technique or the techniques to separate the colloidal mixture of two particles depend upon the physical and chemical nature of both the particles, because different techniques are governed by different principles like substances melting point, boiling point, state of matter, their shape, size, mass, density and etc.

Complete answer:
As we know that the curd is a colloid, which is specifically known as gel because its dispersed phase is liquid and the dispersed medium is the solid.
Since both butter and curd are semi solid in nature, they can’t be separated using their boiling points or melting points.
So, now let’s have a look at the techniques that will separate the colloid of butter and curd.
So, the process of ‘Centrifugation’ comes in handy to separate the mixture of Butter from the curd.
Centrifugation method is based on the ‘density ‘ or size or mass of the particles, the heavier particle in the centrifugal field settles down at the bottom whereas on the other hand , the lighter particles float in the supernatant or forms a upper layer in the centrifugal tube.
So, butter being a lighter substance floats on the upper layer, whereas curd being the denser substance settles at the bottom of the centrifugal tube.
Therefore, through the process of ‘Centrifugation’, we can separate butter from the curd.

Note:
Centrifugation is the separation technique in which particles are separated according to their shape, size and density. Substance or mixture to be separated is filled in a centrifugal tube and is applied with an appropriate centrifugal force for a specified time. In this process heavier particles settle down while lighter particles float in the supernatant.