Question

How will you separate clay particles from muddy water?

Answer 1

Separating clay particles from muddy water:

The suitable method for separating clay particles from muddy water is filtration.

Filtration: The process of separating the insoluble particles of a mixture (clay here) from the liquid part of the mixture by using filter paper.

• Example: Tea leaves from tea, filtration of precipitates in various chemical reactions.

Principle involved in the separation of mixture:

• When passed through the filter paper, insoluble clay particles being larger in size than the pores of the filter paper do not pass through it whereas the liquid part of the mixture can easily pass through the filter paper.

Process of separation is as follows:

• Take a filter paper and fold it into half to obtain a semicircle.
• This semicircle is folded one more time to obtain a quarter circle.
• Open the quarter circle so that a cone shape is obtained which can be placed into the glass funnel.
• This funnel is placed in a tripod stand.
• A beaker is placed below the stem of the funnel to collect the liquid obtained during filtration.
• Give a swirl to the muddy water mixture and gently pour the mixture over the filter paper.
• It is observed that clay particles or mud are collected in the filter paper whereas water is collected in the beaker placed below the stem of the funnel and is called the filtrate.
• Thus, the clay particles are separated from water of the muddy water.