Physical means can be used to separate mixtures. These include decantation to separate solids from liquids by pouring off the liquid layer. Evaporation separates liquids by boiling off the vapor. Filtration uses a porous filter to separate solids from liquids. Sieving separates particles of different sizes by allowing smaller ones to pass through mesh. Magnets can separate mixtures containing ferromagnetic materials. Separating mixtures has benefits like purifying substances and protecting health.

1. Ways of Separating Mixtures
Have you thought of separating substances mixture?
How can you separate the mixture of pepper and salt?
Why is it important to separate substances in a mixture?

2. Separating mixtures in the harvested plants.
(harvesting palay)
• Threshing - separation of grains from the harvested plants
(palay)
• Winnowing – tossing the grain in the air (during windy days),
heavy grains fall down in a container of gravity, while the lighter
particle or husks are blown by the wind.

3. Physical Means of
Separating Mixtures

4. Decantation
• The process of separating the components of a mixture by pouring the liquid
component from one container to another, without disturbing the lower layer or
sediments in mixture.
• Used to separate solids, from liquids.
• Examples:
• Sand and water mixture
• Washing rice grains
• Immiscible liquids such as oil and water

5. Evaporation
• Process by which liquid changes to vapor or gas.
• When the temperature is raised to boiling point, the liquid becomes vapor.
• Example:
• Making rock salt from seawater
• Preserving fish by drying (water present in the body of fish will evaporate if exposed to
sunlight)
• Salt solution ( bring the solution through boiling it, the water in it will evaporate and
granules of salt remained in the container.)

6. Filtration
• Process of separating solid and liquid substances by using a porous filter, such ass strainer
and cloth, that allows liquid to pass through.
• In laboratory, filter paper is used in filtration.
• Example:
• Extracting coconut milk - removing fine particles from dirty water
• sand and water
• Cooking pasta in a boiling water

7. Sieving
• Separating differently sized solid particles.
• Sieve is a utensil with fine wire-mesh bottom used to separate
finer/smaller particles from bigger particles. It is similar to
strainer
• Examples:
• Separating gravel from sand
• Removing unwanted particles from flour (baking)
sieve

8. Using Magnets
• Separating mixtures that is composed of materials that is attracted to
magnets.
• Examples:
• Separating nails from the pebbles or sand (place the magnet near the
mixture and let the nails cling into the magnet)

9. Benefits of Separating Mixtures
Purify each substance and maximize the use of each purified substance.
Protect self from diseases (water must be filtered to removed the harmful
substances)
Produce new products from mixture (crude is processed to produce diesel, and
gasoline)
Salt-making industries
Used in homes (obtaining coconut milk, extracting juice from fresh fruits, removing
of seeds or stones in a rice grains before cooking)