Question

How will you separate the components of gunpowder?

Answer 1

Separating the components of gunpowder:

Gun powder is a mixture of charcoal which is a form of Carbon $\left(\mathrm{C}\right)$, Sulphur $\left(\mathrm{S}\right)$ and Potassium nitrate $\left({\mathrm{KNO}}_3\right)$

Step-1: Separation of Potassium nitrate

• Water is added to the mixture.
• On addition of Water $\left({\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\right)$, potassium nitrate gets dissolved in it whereas sulphur and carbon remain undissolved.
• On filtration, the undissolved components are separated as residue whereas the filtrate contains potassium nitrate.
• On evaporating water from the filtrate, potassium nitrate is left behind as a powder and gets separated.

Step-2: Separation of charcoal

• Carbon disulphide $\left({\mathrm{CS}}_2\right)$ is added to the residue containing sulphur and charcoal obtained in step-1.
• Sulphur gets dissolved in carbon disulphide whereas charcoal remains undissolved in it.
• On filtration, charcoal is separated as the residue from the mixture.

Step-3: Separation of sulphur

• The filtrate containing sulphur in carbon disulphide is subjected to evaporation.
• Carbon disulphide evaporates easily being a volatile solvent leaving behind sulphur powder.

Thus, the components of the given mixture get separated based on their solubility in different solvents.