Separation Anxiety

In this activity, learners discover the primary physical properties used to separate pure substances from mixtures. Learners use test tubes, beakers, magnets, and other tools to separate a mixture of sand, iron filings, salt, popcorn kernels, and poppyseeds. This activity introduces learners to the basic properties of size, magnetism, density and solubility while emphasizing that chemistry involves separating out substances either to understand what they are or to use the pure components to create new substances.