Question

How would you separate a mixture of rocks and sand?

Answer 1

Hint: The mixture is formed when two or chemical components are mixed with each other. The given mixture is sand and rocks. Both of them are solid components but differ from each other in size.

Complete step by step answer:
Separation process is a method used to convert a mixture into two or more different constituents from which the mixture is formed. The mixture is the combination of two or more chemical elements mixed together which can be separated by using physical means.
The mixture can be a solid-solid mixture where the solid component is mixed with solid. In liquid-solid mixture the liquid component is mixed with solid component. In liquid-liquid mixture, the liquid component is mixed with liquid.
The mixture is divided into two categories,
(1) Homogeneous mixture
(2) Heterogeneous mixture
Homogeneous mixtures are defined as the mixture whose composition remains same throughout the mixture. Example of a homogeneous mixture is water in milk.
Heterogeneous mixtures are defined as the mixture whose composition does not remain the same throughout the mixture. Example of a heterogeneous mixture is oil in water.
The given mixture is a solid-solid mixture where rocks are mixed with sand. The sands are minute solids and rocks are bigger in size. So they can be easily separated by handpicking.
The rocks can be easily handpicked from the mixture of sand and rocks and put aside or in different containers and they both can be separated from each other.

Note:
They can also be separated by a sieving process, the appropriate size of sieve can be selected from with the mixture of rock and sand can be separated as the sands move down from the sieve. But it can only be possible when the rocks are not huge in size.