How can you separate a mixture of sodium chloride and water?

Separating a mixture of sodium chloride (NaCl) and water can be achieved through several methods. Here are two commonly used techniques:

1. Evaporation:

- Place the mixture in a shallow dish or container with a large surface area.

- Heat the mixture gently to a temperature below the boiling point of water.

- The water will evaporate, leaving behind the solid sodium chloride.

2. Distillation:

- Set up a distillation apparatus, consisting of a distillation flask, a condenser, and a receiving flask.

- Pour the mixture of sodium chloride and water into the distillation flask.

- Heat the distillation flask to a temperature above the boiling point of water.

- The water will vaporize and travel through the condenser, where it will cool down and condense back into liquid form.

- The distilled water will collect in the receiving flask, leaving the sodium chloride behind in the distillation flask.

Both evaporation and distillation are effective methods for separating sodium chloride from water. The choice of method may depend on factors such as the desired purity of the separated components, the scale of separation, and the availability of equipment.