Which method is most suitable for separating a solid from a liquid in a heterogeneous mixture?

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

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the nature of the mixture. A heterogeneous mixture consists of two or more phases that are physically distinct, such as a solid dispersed in a liquid.
2. Step 2: Identify the goal: to separate the solid particles from the liquid phase effectively.
3. Step 3: Evaluate the methods: Evaporation removes the liquid by turning it into vapor, leaving the solid behind, but it does not separate the solid from the liquid directly and can be time-consuming.
4. Step 4: Filtration works by passing the mixture through a porous barrier (filter paper) that allows the liquid to pass through while retaining the solid particles, making it ideal for separating solids from liquids in heterogeneous mixtures.
5. Step 5: Distillation separates components based on differences in boiling points, which is more suitable for liquid-liquid mixtures or solutions, and chromatography separates components based on their movement through a medium, typically used for dissolved substances rather than solid-liquid mixtures.