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Separating mixtures – practice for Years 8–9

Sample questions on Separating mixtures with the right answer and a worked solution, from easy to hard. In the Pickles Academy app a child gets new questions of the same kind every time, so they can't just learn the answers by heart.

Subject
Chemistry
Year
Years 8–9
Curriculum area
Mixtures

Question types: Which method is shown? · How to separate a mixture

Rule: Separating mixtures

Filtering separates an undissolved solid from a liquid (sand and water). So do settling and pouring off (decanting).

Distillation separates liquids with different boiling points. Evaporating (crystallising) gets back a dissolved solid.

A separating funnel separates liquids that don’t mix (oil and water). A magnet pulls out iron filings.

Example: You get salt from sea water by evaporating it, and pure water from it by distillation.

Watch out: Filtering won’t get salt out of water: dissolved salt goes through the filter.

Sample questions

  1. Question 1 Easy

    Which method of separating a mixture does the picture show?

    1. A) distillation
    2. B) settling and decanting
    3. C) separating with a magnet
    4. D) evaporation
    5. E) filtration
    Show the solution
    Answer: D) evaporation

    How it works: Correct: evaporation.

  2. Question 2 Normal

    Which method is best for getting or separating each part? Match each item (1–4) with the right option (A–E).

    1. sand from water
    2. salt from sea water
    3. iron filings from sand
    4. clear water above settled mud
    • A) evaporation
    • B) filtration
    • C) separating with a magnet
    • D) chromatography
    • E) settling and decanting
    Show the solution
    Answer:
    1. sand from water → B) filtration
    2. salt from sea water → A) evaporation
    3. iron filings from sand → C) separating with a magnet
    4. clear water above settled mud → E) settling and decanting

    How it works: sand from water – filtration; salt from sea water – evaporation; iron filings from sand – separating with a magnet; clear water above settled mud – settling and decanting

  3. Question 3 Hard

    Which method of separating a mixture does the picture show?

    1. A) distillation
    2. B) separating with a magnet
    3. C) filtration
    4. D) chromatography
    5. E) evaporation
    Show the solution
    Answer: E) evaporation

    How it works: Correct: evaporation.

Related topics

All Chemistry topics

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