Question

Suppose you have a mixture of sand, marbles, sawdust, and blocks of wood. You can separate these four things with a window screen, a bucket, and water. This will take three steps. The screen is used in the first step. The bucket and water is used in the second and third steps. Describe the three steps. Tell which properties of the materials made it possible to separate the mixture.

Answer 1

Solubility and Particle size

Step-by-step explanation:

1. The screen should be able to separate the blocks of wood and marbles from the sand and saw dust, assuming the marble are larger than the screen openings. This is possible through difference in particle sizes.
2. The bucket can allow for removal of the marbles from the sand and sawdust if its smaller than the screen. Marbles are general larger than sand and would settle at the top.
3. The water in the bucket would dissolve the saw dust instantly, leaving the sand. Sand is not soluble in water unlike he finer sawdust particles.

I hope this was clear.