Which process would most likely be employed to separate a mixture of sand and water?

• A. Chromatography
• B. Distillation
• C. Evaporation
• D. Filtration

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the physical states of the components in the mixture: sand is a solid, and water is a liquid.
2. Recall that filtration is a technique used to separate a solid from a liquid by passing the mixture through a porous material that allows only the liquid to pass through.
3. Understand that chromatography is typically used to separate dissolved substances based on their movement through a medium, which is not suitable for sand and water.
4. Recognize that distillation and evaporation involve changing the phase of the liquid (usually by heating), which is unnecessary when the solid can be separated by a physical barrier.
5. Conclude that filtration is the most appropriate method to separate sand from water because it physically separates the solid particles from the liquid without changing their states.