DECANTATION

Group 7

WHAT IS
DECANTATION?

DECANTATION IS
A process for the separation of mixtures, carefully
pouring a solution from a container in order to leave
the precipitate (sediments) in the bottom of the
original 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. In
other words, Decantation is a process by which a
liquid layer can be separated from the sediments.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FILTRATION

AND DECANTATION
Filtration is the direct separation of the entire
solution through a filter, where the solid is
trapped on the filter and the liquid passes
through.
Decantation is pouring the liquid away from a
precipitated solid, keeping the solid in the
original container.

SET
UP
TOOL
S

BEAKER (2)
*for separation of the sediments from
the liquid.

STIRRING ROD

SET UP
STEPS

STEPS
O1. Mixture in the container is allowed to
stand for sometime.
O2. The solid particles will settle down in
time.
O3. The upper layer of the liquid gets
cleaner.
O4. Separate the coarse particles of a solid
from a liquid by pouring the liquid to a new
container by the process of decantation.

WHEN IS IT
USED? is used
Decantation
when one is separating
parts of a mixture from
another and when the
particles or sediments
are too fine to be
filtered from a liquid.

PRINCIPLE
S

PRINCIPLES
1) Decantation is the "pouring off" of a liquid
from a solid/liquid mixture. The mixture is
allowed to settle, and the liquid is removed
while preventing the solid from escaping.
2) Decanting is an effective method because it
is simply pouring off the excess liquid from a
product.

ADVANTAGE
S

AND

Disadvantages

ADVANTAGES
a) Decantation is a quick method.
b) It allows sediment to settle to the bottom
of a container over a period of time. It
cleans portions of a liquid from above the
sediment in a container.

DISADVANTAGES
a) It cannot be used to separate a
mixture of a liquid and a light sold, such
as chalk in water. The particles of chalk
are suspended in the water. They are so
light that they do not sink down to the
bottom for a long time.
b) You wont recover all of the solution.

EXAMPLES
O1. Mud particles in water.
O2. Grease from the top of
soup.
O3. Liquid from the mustard
O4. Brownish liquid from the
tea bags pour in hot water.

O5. Red wine, where the

wine is decanted from the
potassium bitartrate
crystals.
O6. separating the oil from
water after getting them as
a mixed liquid out of olives
in order to extract olive oil.

Sources:
Decantation: Advantages and disadvantages. (n.d.). Retrieved
September 2, 2009 from
http://library.thinkquest.org/11430/research/decantation.htm
Decantation. (2009). Retrieved September 2, 2009 from
http://www.chemeurope.com/lexikon/e/Decantation/
Decantation. (2009). Retrieved September 1, 2009 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decantation
Mixtures: Sedimentation or decantation. (n.d.). Retrieved
September 2, 2009 from
http://www.tutorvista.com/content/chemistry/chemistryiii/chemistry-concepts/mixtures.php

YAHOO ANSWERS: OPINIONS

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aitb0SOQ8.l9yAQ
Pa_u5TcgjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20080806074523AABVZge
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080317231430AA
Jd4y9
http://answers.yahoo.com/search/search_result;_ylt=An4iK4fR
bKRFUZ9VAB6Oz3EExgt.;_ylv=3?p=Why+is+decantation+an+effecti
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgBT1AA6q8nk
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CD_h9ycYxw4jzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20071129224601AADSsO4
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvY9ljKrJ_3TWBgY
LPa3Y5AjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20090221091308AA1WAM3

Group 7
Alethea Chua
Kat Albert
Tanya Reyes
Steffi Lagodgod
1-B