A mixture of sodium chloride (salt) and ammonium chloride can be separ

A mixture of sodium chloride (salt) and ammonium chloride can be separated by

sublimation
filtration
chromatography
distillation
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2020
A mixture of sodium chloride (NaCl) and ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) can be separated by sublimation. Ammonium chloride is a compound that sublimes upon heating, meaning it transitions directly from a solid to a gas without passing through a liquid phase. Sodium chloride, on the other hand, is a stable ionic compound that does not sublime under normal heating conditions; it melts at a high temperature. By heating the mixture, the ammonium chloride vaporizes and can be collected on a cool surface, separating it from the solid sodium chloride residue.
Sublimation is a process used to separate mixtures where one component sublimes and the other does not.
Filtration is used to separate insoluble solids from liquids. Chromatography is used for separating components of a mixture based on their differential partitioning between a stationary and a mobile phase. Distillation is used to separate liquids with different boiling points or to separate liquids from non-volatile solids. None of these methods are suitable for separating solid NaCl from solid NH₄Cl based on their physical properties in this context.
Exit mobile version