Question

A mixture is two or more substances that are mixed together but not chemically combined. The substances in a mixture each keep their own properties and can be separated from the mixture.

Identify the substance in a mixture of sand, salt, sawdust, and iron filings that can easily be separated by dissolving the mixture in water.

Answer 1

In the mixture of sand, salt, sawdust, and iron filings, salt is the substance that can be easily separated by dissolving the mixture in water and can be reclaimed using evaporation or distillation.

Step-by-step explanation:

A mixture is described as matter consisting of two or more pure substances that retain their individual identities and can be separated by physical methods. The given mixture contains sand, salt, sawdust, and iron filings. When this mixture is dissolved in water, the substance that can easily be separated is salt, as salt is soluble in water whereas sand, sawdust, and iron filings are not. After dissolving in water, the salt can be separated by the process of evaporation or distillation, which will leave the insoluble substances behind. Iron filings can be further removed using a magnet, and the remaining sand and sawdust can be separated through filtration or based on the difference in density.