How to separate a mixture of oil, sand and saltwater.

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Hi there!

Hope you are enjoying chemistry. There are several ways to separate your mixture and I will attempt to give and explain a few of your options from which you can choose your preferred method.

From your posting I understand that we are have a heterogeneous mixture of oil, saltwater, and sand and you are trying to separate the three components.

It will help for you to visualize your solution. If you are handing in this assignment diagrams will be an asset. What does our mixture look like in a beaker? Think back to the principles of density and hydrophobic forces. First of all, I will address density: denser items will be at the bottom while less dense items will be on top. Obviously, the sand will sink to the bottom of the beaker like little tiny rocks. This will be surrounded and covered by our solution of salt water. The least dense solution - the oil - will float on top**. ...