A mixture of sand and naphthalene can be separated bya)sublimationb)di...
- Naphthalene is a colourless crystalline solid with a strong mothball odour.
- It is also called white tar & tar camphor.
- Melting point: 80.1 C.
- Boiling point: 218.C.
- Molecular Weight: 128.17 g/mol.
- Molecular formula: C10H8.
- Chemical structure:
- It is obtained from either coal tar or petroleum distillation.
- It is a white, volatile, solid polycyclic hydrocarbon.
- It is almost insoluble in water.
- The solid is denser than water and thus insoluble in water.
- It is highly volatile.
- Uses:
- It is used in the dyes industry.
- It is used as a moth repellent.
- It is used as wood preservatives.
- It used as fumigant, lubricants, and to make other chemicals.
- It is used in the manufacture of polyvinyl chloride ( PVC) plastics.
- It is used in synthetic tanning, preservative, textile chemicals, emulsion breakers.
- It is used around garden and building peripheries to repel animals such as snakes and rabbits.
- Fuels such as petroleum and coal contain naphthalene.
- It is the most abundant single constituent of coal tar.
- It is commercially produced by crystallization from the intermediate fraction of condensed coal tar and from the heavier fraction of cracked petroleum.
- Negative effects:
- Excess exposure to naphthalene can cause the following issues:
- Hemolytic anaemia.
- Damage to the liver.
- Neurological system.
- Cataracts.
- It is generally accepted to be a human carcinogen.
- It may increase the risk of developing laryngeal (larynx) and colorectal (colon) cancer.
- It is a white solid that evaporates easily because of sublimation.
- Sublimation:
- It is the process of transition of a substance from the solid-state to the gaseous state without passing through the liquid state.
- The substance showing this phenomenon is called sublimate.
- E.g: Camphor, Naphthalene, Dry ice (solid CO2) etc.
- When naphthalene is heated, it sublimes easily because it is made up of non-polar molecules that are held together only by weak Van der Waal intermolecular forces of attraction.
A mixture of sand and naphthalene can be separated bya)sublimationb)di...
Separation of Sand and Naphthalene
To separate a mixture of sand and naphthalene, sublimation is the most effective method. Here’s a detailed explanation.
What is Sublimation?
- Sublimation is the process where a solid turns directly into a gas without passing through a liquid state.
- Naphthalene, being a solid at room temperature, sublimates readily when heated.
Properties of Naphthalene
- Naphthalene has a relatively low melting point (about 80 °C) and sublimates at room temperature, especially when exposed to heat.
- In contrast, sand is an inorganic solid that does not sublimate and remains as a solid throughout the process.
Separation Process
- When the mixture of sand and naphthalene is gently heated, naphthalene will sublime into vapor.
- The vapor can then be collected and cooled, allowing it to condense back into solid naphthalene.
- The remaining sand will be left behind as it does not undergo sublimation.
Why Not Other Methods?
- Distillation: This method is used for separating liquids based on boiling points, which is not applicable here.
- Chromatography: This is primarily for separating mixtures in solution, not solid mixtures.
- Fractional Distillation: Similar to distillation, it’s not suitable for solid-solid separation.
- None of the Above: Since sublimation is effective, this option is incorrect.
Conclusion
- The best method to separate a mixture of sand and naphthalene is by sublimation, making option 'A' the correct answer.
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