When a mixture of water, sand, and salt is filtered, what passes through the filter paper?

1 Answer
anor277
Oct 1, 2016

Well it's not the sand; the #"filtrate"# passes thru the filter paper.

Explanation:

The sand is retained by the filter paper; here the sand is the #"filtrand"#. However, the #"filtrate"#, that which passes thru the filter paper is a solution of salt in water. Often, when we perform a filtration, we add a bit of Celite to the starting mixture, which traps insoluble materials, and allows the filtrate to pass thru the filter quickly.

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