Decantation is used instead of filtration when separating liquids from larger, settled solids. It’s ideal for mixtures where solids have settled at the bottom, like separating oil from water or sediment from clear liquids.
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Sedimentation separates particles from a liquid by allowing gravity to pull heavier particles down to the bottom. The clearer liquid can then be decanted or removed from above the settled particles.
Simple distillation separates liquids with significantly different boiling points, while fractional distillation separates mixtures with closer boiling points. Fractional distillation uses a fractionating column to improve separation efficiency.
Chromatography separates mixtures based on the differing rates at which components move through a stationary phase. It’s useful for separating and analyzing complex mixtures, like inks or chemical compounds.
Evaporation separates components by turning the liquid into vapor, leaving behind any dissolved solids. As the liquid evaporates, the solid residues remain, making it useful for purifying solutions.