Question
Complete the following statement: __ would be the most suitable method for separating and obtaining __ from salt water. 1: distillation; 2 water 1: distillation; 2: rocks 1: evaporation; 2 rocks 1. evaporation; 2 water
Answer
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Max
Elite · Tutor for 8 years
Answer
The most suitable statement to complete will be "(1). Distillation would be the most suitable method for separating and obtaining ..(2) 'Water' from salt water." Considering question scenario and above steps' explanations, distillation provides a method to separate water from salt water effectively and provides a means to collect the separated component; whereas, evaporation, in this case, will not provide the ability to collect the separated water.
Explanation
## Step 1:Establish the concept. Distillation and evaporation are both methods used to separate components of a mixture. Distillation involves boiling the solution and condensing the vapor in a different container, whereas evaporation just allows the liquid to naturally turn into gas. Both methods eventually leave behind a residue which is typically a solid element of the mixture.## Step 2:Analyze the answer choices individually.### Case A: Distillation; water from salt water. The goal of distillation is to collect the evaporated liquid in a different container, leaving impurities behind. Sp when it comes to separating 'water' from 'salt water', the distillation process evaporates the water (liquids in general), and then by condensing the vapor, it is collected separated, leaving the salt behind in the original container. Hence, distilled water (pure water) can be obtained through this process.### Case B: Distillation; rocks from salt water. Solid physical particles such as rocks are not dissolved in water like salt and hence they do not form a solution. Therefore, by applying distillation or evaporation, we will not achieve any separation, as we cannot 'boil' or 'evaporate' the rocks. The rock particle will remain in the bottom irrespective of whether we conduct evaporation or distillation.### Case C: Evaporation; rocks from salt water. Just like as established in case B, Physical particles like 'rocks' remain the same and will not leave the solution, irrespective of evaporation.### Case D: Evaporation; Water from salt water. We aim to collect water here. But by letting the salt water exposed to evaporation, the water as a whole will transform to vapors leaving behind the residue, salt. This process does not cater to the collection of water because, in evaporation unlike distillation, the vapors are let free and not condensed to collect on a separate container.