How do you separate salt from halite?

Answer 1

A Separation Technique Using Ore Halite

Introduction

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Ore halite is a natural source of sodium chloride. Separating the

maximum dry mass of pure sodium chloride is the purpose of this

investigation. It is assumed that the ore is 78% sodium and that the

residue is insoluble in water.

Prediction

Calculation based:

5.1g of rock salt - 78% of 5.1g is Nacl

78/100 * 5.1g= Xg Nacl, Xg being the predicted value.

Main body

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Apparatus

200m beaker, Bunsen burner, bench mat, evaporation basin, 40ml

distilled water, weigh boat, mortar and pestle, tripod, stirring rod,

funnel and filter paper.

Safety

Lab coats and protective glasses were used. Although sodium chloride

is a chemical compound it is non-hazardous if used in the correct

manner, it is also known as a common salt, table salt or halite.

Sodium chloride is the salt most responsible for the salinity of the

ocean amongst other things, widely used by humans, consumed in large

amounts over a period of time can have serious consequences to health.

The real hazards within this experiment were the hot water, bunsen

burner and the spitting out of the solution as it was heated.

Method

After being supplied with a sample of the ore halite a separation

technique had to be applied to separate the maximum dry mass of the

relatively pure sodium chloride. The ore was weighed out between 5.10g

and 5.20g. In this experiment 5.16g was used and measured in an

evaporation basin weighing at approx 43.78g before it was heated with

a Bunsen. Within this experiment white chloride as liquid evaporated

after 40ml of distilled water was introduced and heated for 4 minutes.

The main safety concerns within this experiment were really the

concerns with dealing with hot objects, otherwise everything else ran

smoothly.

Results

Before heating: boat

weighed 0.76g

Evaporation basin = 43.78g basin and ore

5.91g

After heating:

Evaporation basin = 52.79g 5.16g of the ore was used

Discussion of results

The difference after the experiment was carried out was that the

measurements with the Nacl had increased, infact it was 9.01g heavier

which means:

5.16g - 78% of 5.16g is Nacl

78 / 100 * 5.16 = 4.0248 Nacl 52.79 - 43.79 =

9.01g which was higher

78% was set as a perimeter, which was not accurate as there was too

much of the end product; the balance was not accurate as there was not

enough water evaporated. There was a degree of instrument error, which

should have been taken into account. The results should have been

carried out as follows:

Balance = 0.005 / mass of Nacl using the smallest reading * 100 = %

error from balance.

Balance = 0.005 / 5.16 * 100 = 0.097%

Conclusions

To carry out this experiment again the sample of ore should have been

carefully weighed, dissolved in water and then the insoluble should

have been filtered out. The sample then should have been evaporated

and then dried. The material left would have been mostly sodium

chloride. Which then would have been weighed

again.

Separating other ions forming soluble sodium or chloride salts would

be more complex, likely beyond the scope of this experiment.

The biological importance of sodium chloride is that it is essential

to life on earth. Most biological tissues and body fluids contain a

varying amount of salt. The concentration of sodium ions in the blood

is directly related to the regulation of safe body fluid levels.

Propagation of nerve impulses by signal transduction is regulated by

sodium ions. 0.9% sodium chloride in water is called a physiological

solution because it is isoosmotic with blood plasma. It is known

medically as normal saline. Physiological solution in the mainstay of

fluid replacement therapy is that it is widely used in medicine in the

prevention or treatment of dehydration.

Humans are unusual amont primates in secreting large amounts of salt

by sweating. Today salt is produced by the evaporation of seawater or

brine from other sources. People are familiar with the many uses of

salt in cooking but they might be unaware that salt is also used for

setting dyes in textiles and fabric, to producing soaps and

detergents. While salt was a scarce commodity in history,

industrialised production has now made salt plentiful (de-icing of

roads and cars in winter). This works because salt water has a lower

freezing point than pure water.

Chlorine on the other hand by itself is much more potent, it is a

highly toxic greenish yellow gas, has a pungent odder and fumes in

moist air. Chlorine is a highly reactive element, and under goes

reaction with a wide range or other elements and compounds. Chlorine

is a good bleaching agent, due to its oxidising properties. Chlorine

is soluble in water (which solution is called chlorine water) and this

loses its yellow colour on standing in sunlight, due to the formation

of a mixture of hypochlorous acid and hydrochloric acid.

A mixture of chlorine and hydrogen explodes when exposed to sunlight

to give hydrogen chloride. In the dark no reaction occurs, so

activation of the reaction by light energy is required. Chlorine is

used for the manufacture of bleaching powders and liquids:

· To bleach fabrics, wood, pulp and paper

· For the extraction of gold from its ores

· As a disinfectant to kill bacteria in the prep of drinking water

· Chlorine is also important in the manufacture of paints, aerosols

propellants and plastics.

Sodium metal is used in the preparation of tetraethyl lead and is used

in the manufacture of sodamide, sodium cyanide. Sodium compounds

including 'common salt'. The metal in metallic sodium may be used to

improve the structure of certain alloys to descale metal and to purify

molten metals. An alloy of sodium with potassium is also an important

heat transfer agent.

Answer 2

Rock salt excavated from salt mines is carefully washed and then crushed . To make table salt of specific granulate the duly crushed rock salt is passed through different sieves .
For example commonly used table salt is of 25-30 meshes granules.
Himalayan rock salt is considered to be purest and most healthful edible salt on this planet. Naturally enriched with 84 traced minerals responsible for human body growth and immune system. this nature's special mineral is being used in different shapes across the planet.

Answer 3

Take a very small cup. Put in salt, and mix it until it dissolves. Then put it in the sun, until all the water evaporates. If it is not sunny where you live, put it under a source of heat.