WASSCE Chemistry · Paper 1 style

Separation techniques

One sample question with the full working. 6 more in the app, with instant feedback and repair sessions for the traps below.

A mixture of sand and common salt can best be separated by

Ausing a separating funnel
Bdissolving in water, filtering and evaporating the filtrate
Cfractional distillation
Dsublimation

Show the answer and working

Answer: B

Salt dissolves; sand is retained by the filter paper; evaporation recovers salt.

Trap A Picks a related substance or process with a different role: Learn reagents and processes as one-line 'name → job' cards and contrast neighbours in a table (process | product | catalyst | conditions). Match the job in the stem, not just the topic.

Trap C Chooses the wrong separation technique: Insoluble solid + liquid: filtration. Dissolved solid: evaporation/crystallisation. Miscible liquids: fractional distillation. Immiscible liquids: separating funnel. Dyes: chromatography. Sublimable solid (iodine, NH₄Cl): sublimation.

Trap D Uses everyday or macroscopic thinking instead of particles: Ask what the particles, ions or electrons are doing. Properties of a substance come from its particles and bonds, not from how it looks or feels.

Traps in Separation techniques

Picks a related substance or process with a different role
Learn reagents and processes as one-line 'name → job' cards and contrast neighbours in a table (process | product | catalyst | conditions). Match the job in the stem, not just the topic.
Chooses the wrong separation technique
Insoluble solid + liquid: filtration. Dissolved solid: evaporation/crystallisation. Miscible liquids: fractional distillation. Immiscible liquids: separating funnel. Dyes: chromatography. Sublimable solid (iodine, NH₄Cl): sublimation.
Uses everyday or macroscopic thinking instead of particles
Ask what the particles, ions or electrons are doing. Properties of a substance come from its particles and bonds, not from how it looks or feels.

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