Separation Techniques

The distillation tank of an oil refinery plant

Mixtures can be separated into their various components based on physical properties. Filtering allows substances to be separated based on particle size. Decanting separates substances based on their solubility and density. Crystallization separates substances based on their solubility. Distillation separates substances based on boiling points and minor differences in volatility. In chromatography,the various levels of attraction for a solvent or surface are used to separate the individual color components within a mixture of dyes.

These separation techniques are not just used in chemistry labs. All over the world, sea salt is harvested using evaporation. Oil refineries use a combination of simple and fractional distillation to separate petroleum into gasoline and other vital petroleum products. Water treatment plants use a series of filtration and distillation techniques to help purify water. Cooks use filtering techniques frequently in the kitchen to strain and rinse pastas and vegetables.