Curated OER
Recognition and Classification of Mixtures
Immerse your chemistry class in solutions! They melt and compare the mixtures that make up margarine, separate black ink into its component colors, distill ocean saltwater, and practice chromatography with plant pigments. There are eight...
Royal Society of Chemistry
Separating Mixtures: How We Concentrate Natural Materials
Have your class look at a granite specimen and describe what they see. They should note three distinct components. Discuss mixtures with them and how they might be separated, then send them to the lab to figure out how to take apart five...
Teach Engineering
Chromatography Lab
Groups use alcohol and chromatography paper to separate the color components of black ink. The purpose of the activity is to allow the class to become aware that mixtures exist in hidden places.
Olomana School
Mixtures and Solutions: Paper Chromatography Experiment
Why does some ink bleed through paper, and other ink doesn't? Practice some paper chromatography to separate the colors from a pen with an interactive experiment for middle and high schoolers. Learners use a variety of solutions to track...
LABScI
The Separation Lab: Candy Colors
There's no better motivator than candy! An engaging activity has pupils explore methods for separating mixtures. A two-part lab first explores methods of separation based on size and magnetism. The second activity introduces learners to...
Virginia Department of Education
Laboratory Safety and Skills
Avoiding lab safety rules will not give you super powers. The lesson opens with a demonstration of not following safety rules. Then, young chemists practice their lab safety while finding the mass of each item in a mixture and trying to...
Curated OER
Programming the "Rinse Robot"
Experienced chemistry technicians use then layer chromatography to discover how much of a free compound is left after each rinse cycle. Where this could obviously be used as a practice with chromatography technique, it can also be used...
Curated OER
Lipstick Chromatography/Ink Chromatography
Junior crime scene investigators are instructed in two different chromatography exercises. For female suspects, they separate and compare lipstick pigments. For male suspects, they separate and compare ink samples. A data sheet is...
Curated OER
Chromatographic Separation of Methylene Blue and Sodium Fluorescein
Students determine the best solvent system for separating a methylene blue/sodium fluorescein mixture by thin layer chromatography. They conduct an initial TLC separation using ethanol and a different solvent mixture and analyze the data...
Curated OER
Soil Porosity Lab
In this soil porosity worksheet, students experiment with four types of soil. They fill separate cups with each soil type and pour water in measuring the amount it takes to saturate the soil. They make observations and compare their data...
Curated OER
#13 Chromatography is a Gas: An Inquiry-Based Introduction to Gas Chromatography
Advanced chemistry scholars read about gas chromatography as a means of separating mixtures into their components. Then they try the technique on fingernail polish remover. Detailed instructions are provided via a lab sheet for your...
Curated OER
Paper Chromatography K-12 Experiment
Students study chromatography and how they can distinguish between the different pigments in a color. In this chromatography instructional activity students separate a mixture of dyes in soluble ink then record the colors they see.
Curated OER
Classification of Matter
This is a great worksheet with an infographic to assist your students in categorizing matter into mixtures and non-mixtures. Information is given about the metric system of measurement. Your young students match 13 terms with their...
Curated OER
Chromatography Lab
Students discover the components of primary and secondary colors. In this physical science lesson, students create a set up in which water will separate a color into the component colors along a piece of filter paper. Students will then...
Curated OER
#16 Separation Science Lab
Learners in this inquiry-based experiment, put in the role of a method development chemist. The scenario they are given is that a train wreck has occurred resulting in a chemical spill. Students are told that the spill mixture consists...
Curated OER
Separating Solids Experiment
In this separating solids experiment worksheet, students follow the procedures to find what physical properties could be used to separate a mixture of pepper, salt, sand and iron filings.
Curated OER
Separation of a Complex Mixture
Students develop a method to separate different types of mixtures. In this chemistry lesson, students model the steps in the scientific method. They perform the experiment and analyze data.
Pingry School
Liquid Chromatography
A hands-on experiment applies chromatography to separate both the colors and components of grape-flavored Kool-Aid. Performing two separate activities, learners first use chromatography to divide the colors. The second activity results...
Cornell University
Chemical Reactions
Investigate the Law of Conservation of Mass through a lab exploration. Individuals combine materials to initiate chemical reactions. They monitor for signs of reactions and measure the masses before and after the reactions for comparison.
DiscoverE
Building with Biology
Seeing is believing! Bring DNA to life for young biologists using a simple extraction lab. Individuals extract the DNA from wheat germ, then place it in a microcentrifuge tube for observation. They thread yarn or other material through...
Curated OER
Exploring the Scientific Method: Separation of a Complex Mixture
Students work in teams to use the scientific method to separate complex mixtures into pure components.
Columbus City Schools
Magnificent Mendeleev: An Elemental Tale
Discover how the periodic table tells the story of its elements. Learners begin by studying the makeup of several mixtures. Their analysis leads to a discussion of elements and the periodic table. As they dig deeper, they understand the...
Sunlight Cal-Tech
Chromatography of Plant Pigments
Through a hands-on activity, an acetone-spinach solution is pre-made and learners use this solution to separate the pigments found in spinach using chromatography. The comprehensive resource includes an analysis and conclusion questions.
Curated OER
Solutions, Suspensions, & Colloids Lab
In this solutions, suspension and colloid activity, students complete a lab experiment in order to determine if a given mixture is a solution, suspension or colloid. They are given six vials and they record their observations of each and...