Grade 6 · Science · Unit 2 of 6
Mixtures & Solutions
Mix it, dissolve it, separate it
What your child practises
Telling pure substances from mixtures, mechanical mixtures from solutions, solutes and solvents, comparing concentration, and choosing separation methods like filtering, evaporation, magnets and distillation.
BC Curriculum learning standard: Pure substances and mixtures; mechanical mixtures and solutions; separation of mixtures
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Which tool would quickly separate iron filings from sand?
🧲- a filter
- a funnel
- a thermometer
- a magnet
Show answer
a magnet
Hint: Iron is magnetic. Sand is not.
Question 2
In vinegar (a little acetic acid mixed into water), which is the solvent?
🧪- vinegar
- water
- acetic acid
Show answer
water
Hint: The solute is what dissolves (usually the smaller amount). The solvent does the dissolving (usually the larger amount). Together they make the solution.
Question 3
Mechanical mixture or solution? Tap an item, then tap its basket.
Sort into: 🥣 mechanical mixture · 🧪 solution
- 🧂salt dissolved in water
- 🎺brass (copper and zinc)
- 🍪chocolate chip cookie
- 🌬️air
- 🥗salad
- 🥜trail mix
Show answer
🥣 mechanical mixture: chocolate chip cookie, salad, trail mix · 🧪 solution: salt dissolved in water, brass (copper and zinc), air
Hint: In a mechanical mixture you can see the different parts. In a solution, one substance dissolves into another, so it looks the same all the way through.
Question 4
Which cup of sugar water is the most concentrated?
Sugar water cups Cup Sugar Water A 24 g 200 mL B 8 g 200 mL C 10 g 100 mL D 4 g 200 mL - Cup C
- Cup B
- Cup A
- Cup D
Show answer
Cup A
Hint: Concentration is how much solute is dissolved in an amount of solvent. Work out the grams of sugar in each 100 mL of water, then compare.
Question 5
Which change makes sugar dissolve faster?
🥄- using bigger sugar lumps
- using colder water
- stirring the water
- putting a lid on the cup
Show answer
stirring the water
Hint: Stirring, warmer water and smaller pieces all help a solute dissolve faster.
Question 6
Black marker ink spreads up wet paper and splits into blue, red and yellow bands. What separation method is this?
🖊️- chromatography
- filtration
- magnetism
- distillation
Show answer
chromatography
Hint: Chroma means colour. Different dyes travel up the paper at different speeds.