Separation of sand (SiO2) and salt NaCl

I am trying to separate SiO2 and NaCl.lso I will calculate the percentage of SiO2 and NaCl in the mixture.

Apparatus/Chemicals

* Weighing bottle

* Analytical balance

* Bunsen Burner

* Side arm flask

* Thick walled rubber tube

* 5 grams of the mixture SiO2 and NaCl

* Tripod

* 50ml of H2O

* Filter paper

* Funnel

* Spatulas

* Evaporating dish

* Clamp

* Boss

* Gauze

Method

1. Collect all apparatus above

2. Measure approximately 5 grams of the SiO2/NaCl mixture on an analytical balance.

3. Measure 50cm3 of H2O

4. Pour SiO2/NaCl mixture into beaker with H2O.

5. Stir the solution so that the salt dissolves.

6. Set up vacuum filtration

7. Pour the mixture in the Buckner funnel.

8. Wait for the H2O to run into the conical flask.

9. Set up Bunsen burner.

10. Heat H2O left in the conical flask in an evaporating dish.

11. The H2O will evaporate leaving behind NaCl.

12. Weigh SiO2 and the NaCl.

Results

Weight of mixture before experiment 5.5380

After heating mixture there was SiO2 2.5221

NaCl 2.4317

2.5221+2.4317=4.9538

There was some salt and sand lost

5.5380 -4.9538=0.5894

Calculations on the percentage of SiO2 and NaCl in mixture

Salt 2.4317 X100 =44%

5.5432

Sand 2.5221 X100 =45%

5.5432

Lost Sand/Salt 0.5894 X100=11%

5.5432

Conclusion

My aim was to separate SiO2 and NaCl, which I did successfully to a certain extent.

I lost 11 %of the mixture due to experimental error.

Another part of my aim was to calculate the percentage of the SiO2 and NaCl, which I have done above.

Evaluation

From my results you can see I have made a major error.11% of the mixture was lost.

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This was due to experimental error. I cannot really say that in the mixture SiO2 had the highest percentage. This is because 11% was lost and I do not know how much of the lost percentage is SiO2 or NaCl.

Whilst I was heating the evaporating dish. The H2O was spitting SiO2 out of the evaporating dish. I lost a lot of SiO2 here as it came out. In the future I can put a lid on top of the evaporating dish.

Another error where I lost SiO2 was on the filter paper.Smal quantities of solid SiO2 were left on the filter paper and Buckner funnel.

When transferring the mixture of SiO2 and NaCl from the weighing bottle to the beaker I could have lost some of the mixture in the bottle.

Next time I do the experiment I could measure the mixture in the beaker. Therefore, I will eliminate the transferring of the mixture.