Question

Name the apparatus used to separate oil and water:
A. beaker
B. decanting
C. test tube
D. flask

Answer 1

Hint: Decantation is a process to differentiate and separate liquid mixtures by removing one liquid layer that is unbound of a precipitate or the solids deposited from a solution. The main purpose may be to obtain a decant (liquid free from particulates) or to recover the precipitate and to separate two immiscible liquids from each other.

Complete step by step answer:
Decantation can be defined as the process for the separation of mixtures of a liquid and a solid mixture such as a suspension or of immiscible liquids. The layer closer to the top of the container that is the less dense liquid in the mixture of the liquids or the liquid from which the precipitate or sediment has settled out is poured off. Thus, it leaves the other individual liquid or the denser liquid of the mixture behind in the container itself. An incomplete separation is seen during the separation of the two immiscible liquids. Decantation is employed to separate immiscible liquids that have two different densities. For example, when a mixture of oil and water is present in a container, two distinct layers in the liquid mixture is formed. It is clearly visible that the oil layer is floating on top of the water layer. This also proves that oil has a less density than the water. This separation is done by pouring oil out of the container and thus, pure water is left behind.

Thus, the correct option is B. decanting .

Note:
There are many examples where the decantation process is used. It is used to purify a liquid by separating it from a suspension of insoluble particles (e.g. in red wine, where the wine is decanted from the potassium bitartrate crystals to avoid unsavory taste). This makes the wine more tonic. Plasma can be separated from the blood through decantation by using a centrifuge in which the plasma has a density more than the components of the blood.