Good Student Sand Salt Lab Report
Breaking up is hard to do – Separating Sand & Salt
Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to separate a mixture of sand and salt.
Materials:
Small beaker
Electric balance
Sand
Salt
Water
Graduated cylinder
Stirring rod
Filter paper
Flask
Rubber policeman
Wash bottle
Funnel
Bunsen burner complete with rubber tubing and a source of gas
Hot hands
Insulator pad
Ring stand complete with a ring
Wire gauze
Striker
Pre-lab Questions:
1. Water will be useful in separating the salt and sand because salt is soluble in water, which allows it to dissolve into a homogenous mixture, allowing for filtering of the sand.
2. Properties of sand and salt that will help separate them are that salt is water soluble, and the sand is insoluble in water.
3. The three things that could go wrong in this experiment are:
During the evaporation of water while using the Bunsen burner, the flask might crack or explode – this can be avoided by not heating the flask over a prolonged period of time, and not heating it too intensely.
Some of the sand may be lost during the filtration – this can be avoided by carefully filtering the mixture, and making sure that all of the sand has been washed off from the beaker, and the rubber policeman.
Some of the salt may be lost if the salt doesn’t dissolve completely or if some of the salt water is spilled – this can be avoided by making sure that all of the salt has dissolved, and by being very careful while stirring the mixture not to spill it.
Procedure:
1. Place a small beaker on the balance. Press the rezero button to make sure to take the mass of only the sand and salt sample and not the beaker.
2. Carefully pour the sand and salt mixture onto the beaker. Record the mass in your data table.
3. Measure out 10mL of water using the graduated cylinder. Add the water to the beaker and gently stir the sample with a stirring rod for several minutes. Be careful not to spill.
4. Obtain a piece of filter paper write your names near the top, on BOTH
Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to separate a mixture of sand and salt.
Materials:
Small beaker
Electric balance
Sand
Salt
Water
Graduated cylinder
Stirring rod
Filter paper
Flask
Rubber policeman
Wash bottle
Funnel
Bunsen burner complete with rubber tubing and a source of gas
Hot hands
Insulator pad
Ring stand complete with a ring
Wire gauze
Striker
Pre-lab Questions:
1. Water will be useful in separating the salt and sand because salt is soluble in water, which allows it to dissolve into a homogenous mixture, allowing for filtering of the sand.
2. Properties of sand and salt that will help separate them are that salt is water soluble, and the sand is insoluble in water.
3. The three things that could go wrong in this experiment are:
During the evaporation of water while using the Bunsen burner, the flask might crack or explode – this can be avoided by not heating the flask over a prolonged period of time, and not heating it too intensely.
Some of the sand may be lost during the filtration – this can be avoided by carefully filtering the mixture, and making sure that all of the sand has been washed off from the beaker, and the rubber policeman.
Some of the salt may be lost if the salt doesn’t dissolve completely or if some of the salt water is spilled – this can be avoided by making sure that all of the salt has dissolved, and by being very careful while stirring the mixture not to spill it.
Procedure:
1. Place a small beaker on the balance. Press the rezero button to make sure to take the mass of only the sand and salt sample and not the beaker.
2. Carefully pour the sand and salt mixture onto the beaker. Record the mass in your data table.
3. Measure out 10mL of water using the graduated cylinder. Add the water to the beaker and gently stir the sample with a stirring rod for several minutes. Be careful not to spill.
4. Obtain a piece of filter paper write your names near the top, on BOTH