How Can You Separate Salt and Pepper Without Physical Contact?

  • Thread starter Thread starter some_one
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Puzzle
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the challenge of separating a mixture of salt and pepper without any physical contact. Participants explore various methods, including the use of static electricity and heat, while debating the feasibility of these techniques. Key insights include the observation that salt and pepper have different densities and melting points, which could influence separation methods. Ultimately, the consensus leans towards using static electricity as a viable solution, despite some contention regarding the definition of physical contact.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physical properties such as density and melting points.
  • Familiarity with static electricity and its applications.
  • Knowledge of separation techniques in chemistry.
  • Basic principles of mixtures and solutions.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the principles of static electricity and its effects on small particles.
  • Explore methods of separation in mixtures, focusing on density differences.
  • Investigate the thermal properties of salt and pepper, including their melting points.
  • Learn about centrifugation and its applications in separating mixtures.
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for chemistry enthusiasts, educators, and anyone interested in physical science principles, particularly those exploring non-contact separation techniques.

  • #31
DaveC426913 said:
It most distinctly is not.

You could slip a solid object such as a piece of paper between the balloon and the mixture. No physical contact.
It most distinctly is

You could slip a solid object such as a piece of glass between the balloon and the mixture. No separation.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #32
jimmysnyder said:
It most distinctly is

You could slip a solid object such as a piece of glass between the balloon and the mixture. No separation.
You appear to be saying that "it most distinctly is" physical contact between the balloon and the mixture. Is that what you meant to say?

My point was I could slip something between balloon and mixture, demonstrating that no physical contact is necessary to in order to separate the substances.
 

Similar threads

Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
18
Views
6K
Replies
14
Views
3K
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
Replies
28
Views
3K
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
10K