Salt and water are two of the most common elements used to teach the scientific concepts of mixtures and solutions. Mixtures are the combining of two or more materials to make one new material, while solutions are the dissolving of a solid into a liquid so that you can no longer see the solid. Salt water is both a mixture and a solution. While mixtures can be separated through the use of a screen or funnel, solutions can only be separated through the boiling of the liquid or evaporation.
Instructions
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1
Mix one tablespoon of salt with one cup of water in a transparent glass or beaker.
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2
Stir the salt and water mixture until the salt is completely dissolved, meaning you cannot see any grains of salt in the glass. The process of dissolving the salt into the water creates a solution.
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3
Pour the salt water solution into an evaporation dish and place in a location that is subjected to direct sunlight, such as a windowpane.
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Let the solution sit until the water completely evaporates, leaving only the salt.