1. Using Physical Properties and Physical Changes to Separate Mixtures
Trail Mix
is a type of mixture.

2. A Mixture
A mixture is a combination of different substances that are in the same container or place.
Can you name other examples of mixtures?

3. Candy Mixture How might you separate a bag of Halloween candy?
What physical properties would you use?
Color? Brand Name? Type? Wrapper Color? Size? What you want to eat first?

4. Some mixtures are easy to separate.
Mixtures can be easily separated when:
You can easily see the different parts.
You can easily pick out the different parts.
In this bowl you can easily see the different colors and you can easily pick out the pieces.
You can separate the pieces based on the physical property of color.

5. Some mixtures may take several steps to separate.
Mixtures take more steps to separate when:
You cannot easily see all the parts.
Some of the parts are too small to pick up by hand.
In this pile you can see there are rocks of different sizes. There is also dirt in the mixture.
This mixture cannot be easily separated by hand.

6. 1. Separating a rock mixture.
How could you separate this mixture to make one pile of rocks and one pile of dirt?
What physical property can you use to separate the mixture?

7. The physical property we can use to separate the rock mixture is size
The physical property we can use to separate the rock mixture is size. To help us do this we can use a filter.
The filter will keep the large rocks on top and let the small dirt pass through.
Rocks will stay on top of the filter screen.
Small dirt will fall through the screen to the bottom.

8. 2. Separating a sugar mixture.
In this mixture sugar was dissolved into a glass of water.
What physical property and physical change can you use to separate the mixture so you have the sugar left? = +

9. The sugar is soluble, which means it dissolved in the water.
The physical property we can use to separate the sugar mixture is solubility. We will also use the physical change of vaporization.
The sugar is soluble, which means it dissolved in the water.
We can put the cup in the sun to help the water vaporize (evaporate).
When energy is added to the water, the water will turn into a gas and leave the cup.
The sugar will be left behind and separated from the water.

10. 3. Separating wood chips and rocks.
In this mixture wood chips and rocks are mixed together.
What physical properties can you use to separate the mixture so you have one pile of rocks and one pile of wood chips?

11. The first physical property we can use to separate the wood chips and rocks is density.
We can add the wood chips and rocks to a container of water.
The wood chips will float.
We can scoop the wood chips out of the water.
This will give us the pile of wood chips.

12. We then use a filter to filter the water out of the rocks.
We then use the physical property of size to separate the water from the rocks.
We then use a filter to filter the water out of the rocks.
This way are are left with the pile of rocks.

13. 4. Separating iron filings and sand.
In this mixture iron filings and sand are mixed together.
What physical property can you use to separate the mixture so you have one pile of iron filings and one pile of sand?
Iron filings are small pieces of iron. These are used in Etch A Sketches.

14. The iron filings are magnetic and can be picked up by a magnet.
We use the physical property of magnetism to separate the iron filings from the sand.
The iron filings are magnetic and can be picked up by a magnet.
The sand is not magnetic and will be left behind.

15. 5. Separating sand and sugar.
In this mixture sand and sugar are mixed together.
What physical property and physical change can you use to separate the mixture so you have one pile of sand and one pile of sugar?

16. + = Sugar is soluble (will dissolve) in water.
Separating this mixture will take several steps. We first use the physical property of solubility.
Sugar is soluble (will dissolve) in water.
Sand is not soluble (will not dissolve) in water.
We mix the sand and sugar with water.
The sugar will dissolve in the water.
The sand will stay separated in the water. + =

17. The water and dissolved sugar will go through the filter paper.
Next use the physical property of size. We will need a coffee filter or other filter paper.
The water and dissolved sugar will go through the filter paper.
The sand is too large and will stay on top of the filter paper.
We collect the sand from the top of the filter paper. This will give us a pile of sand.

18. We can allow the water in to vaporize (evaporate).
After the sand is separated, we then need to separate the sugar from the water. We will use the physical change of vaporization.
We can allow the water in to vaporize (evaporate).
The sugar will be left behind. This will give us a pile of sugar.

19. Now you can practice. Turn your paper over.
You will now complete “The Recycling Factory” assignment.