A solid precipitate is formed from the reaction of lead nitrate

Subject : Chemistry

Question: A solid precipitate is formed from the reaction of lead nitrate and sodium chromate. What would be the best method to separate this solid from the solution?

A. Distillation

B. Evaporation

C. Filtration

D. Sorting

Expert Verified Solution:

The correct answer is:

C. Filtration

Explanation:

When a solid precipitate is formed in a solution, the best method to separate the solid from the liquid is filtration. Filtration uses a porous barrier (like filter paper) to separate solid particles from a liquid. In this case, the solid precipitate formed from the reaction between lead nitrate and sodium chromate can be collected on the filter paper while the remaining liquid (filtrate) passes through.

Other options:

A. Distillation is used to separate liquids based on their boiling points, not for separating solids from liquids.

B. Evaporation is used to separate a dissolved solid from a solvent by boiling away the liquid, which is not the best method for separating a precipitate.

D. Sorting is typically used to separate solid components based on size, shape, or color, and does not apply to separating a precipitate from a liquid.