OBJECTIVE:

To learn how the fundamental principle of separation of solids from suspensions

work.
To determine the rate of sedimentation of a sample of particles in a liquid.
To plot a graph between the suspension density at a certain vertical position
against time.

INTRODUCTION:
Sedimentation, in the geological sciences, process of deposition of a solid material from a
state of suspension or solution in a fluid, normally it occurred in air or water. Broadly
defined it also includes deposits from glacial ice and those materials collected under the
impetus of gravity alone, as in talus deposits, or accumulations of rock debris at the base
of cliff. In chemistry way, Sedimentation is also can called as a process which separate
specifically heavier, suspended matter, than the solution is. Solid matter settles on the
bottom of the vessel and the liquid above it is poured off. The settling zone is the largest
portion of the sedimentation basin. That zone provides the calm area necessary for the
suspended particles to remove. In an easy way to explain, it is a Separation of a dispersed
system under the action of a gravitational or centrifugal field according to the different
densities of the components.
Sedimentation uses gravitational forces to separate particulate material from fluid
streams. The particles are usually solid, but they can be small liquid droplets, and the
fluid can be either a liquid or a gas. In sedimentation, particles are falling from rest under
the force of gravity.
Therefore in sedimentation, takes the familiar form of Stokes' Law:
UT = x 2 g(p - f)/18 where p = density of particle, kg m -3 f = density of fluid, kg
m -3 g = gravity, m s -2 x = particle diameter, m
= molecular viscosity, N s m -2 UT = terminal settling velocity, m s -1

Stokes Law applies only in streamline flow and strictly only to spherical particles.
Stokes solution is applicable for settling at low Reynolds numbers (Re<< 1). Stokes
Law applies only to cases in which settling is free, that is where the motion of one
particle is unaffected by the motion of other particles. The objective of sedimentation
process analysis is to determine the rate at which solid particles accumulate in the lower
end of the container. A graph of the interface height versus time is known as the
sedimentation curve.
In this experiment, we are going to use sand and clay for our sedimentation purpose.

MATERIAL AND APPARATUS:

Graduated cylinder, stop watch, ruler, stirring rod, beaker, chalk and water.

PROCEDURE:
1. A 500ml graduated cylinder and a ruler are prepared.
2. 30g of sand sample are weighted and put in a beaker. The beaker is filled with
200ml of tap water. The suspension was mixed vigorously to achieve even
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

mixing. The suspension was then transfer to the prepared graduated cylinder.
The stop watch is started when the last drop had dropped.
For every 1 minute, the height of the clear area was recorded.
The same process was repeated for 3 times and the average height was recorded.
Step 1 till 6 were repeated with clay sample.
The graph of the interface height versus time was plotted.

RESULTS:

A. Sand
Time (min)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

H1 (cm)
0.5
0.8
1.8
3.5
4.5
5.5
6.3
8

H2 (cm)
0.8
1.1
1.9
2.8
3.8
4.5
6
7

H3 (cm)
0.6
1.2
2.0
2.8
3.5
5.0
6.2
7.2

H (average) cm
0.63
1.03
1.90
3.03
3.93
5.00
6.17
7.40

H1 (cm)
0.3
0.7
1.2
1.7
2.1
2.5
2.7
3.2

H2 (cm)
0.5
0.7
1.3
1.6
2.0
2.5
2.8
3.1

H3 (cm)
0.5
1.0
1.3
1.6
2.1
2.4
2.8
3.1

H (average) cm
0.43
0.80
1.27
1.63
2.07
2.47
2.77
3.13

B. Clay
Time (min)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Graph of height interface against time for sand sample

8
7
6
5
Height Interface (cm) 4
3
2
1
0

Time (min)

Graph of height interface against time for clay sample.

3.5
3
2.5
2
Height interface (cm)

1.5
1
0.5
0

Time (min)

From the graph of height interface against time of sand sample and clay sample, we can
obtain the settling velocity of suspension at any point of time, and we are using the height
to divide by the time.
For sand sample,
cm
1 min
min
1 m
(7.41.9)
60 s
v 1=
100 cm
(83)
v 1=0.000183 m/s

For clay sample,

cm
1 min
min
1 m
(3.130.43)
60 s
v 2=
100 cm
( 81)
v 2=0.00643 m/ s