What do you observe in transferring liquid reagents, heating liquids and separating of solid from a liquid?

Question

The separating of solid from a liquid is about filtration and decantation. What are the difference?

Answer 1

Decantation:
Decantation is a process for the separation of mixtures, carefully pouring a solution from a container, leaving the precipitate (sediments) in the bottom of the container. Usually a small amount of solution must be left in the container, and care must be taken to prevent a small amount of precipitate from flowing with the solution out of the container. It is generally used to separate a liquid from an insoluble solid, e.g. in red wine, where the wine is decanted from the potassium bitartrate crystals.

Filtration:
Filtration is the process of using a filter to mechanically separate a mixture of solids and fluids. Depending on the application, the solid, the fluid, or both may be isolated. Examples of filtration include a coffee filter which separates the coffee grounds from the brewed coffee; the use of consumer water filters to improve the taste or appearance of municipal water; and the use of HEPA filters in air conditioning to remove particles from air.

To separate a mixture of chemical compounds, a solvent is chosen which dissolves one component, while not dissolving the other. By dissolving the mixture in the chosen solvent, one component will go into the solution and pass through the filter, while the other will be retained. This is one of the most important techniques used by chemists to purify compounds.

Answer 2

You should observe that liquids can pour from one container to another when being transferred.

Filtration is passing the liquid/solid mixture through a porous filter. The filter holds the solid material while the liquid passes through.

Decantation is allowing the solid material to settle to the bottom of the flask. When all the solid has settled you pour off the liquid that is on top.