Best when unwanted particles are few and easy to spot — stones or husk out of grain.
Fine particles pass through the holes, larger ones stay on top — flour from bran.
Separating grains from harvested stalks by beating them — on a wooden log, or with a machine.
Tossing grain into the wind with a soop — lighter husk blows away, heavier grain falls close by.
A heavier, insoluble part settles at the bottom — like tea leaves settling in a pan.
Gently tilting to pour off the liquid above — a few particles may still escape.
The solid trapped on the filter.
The clear liquid that passes through.
A mathni separates butter, which floats up, from curd — leaving buttermilk behind.
A magnet pulls iron out from non-magnetic material — recyclers use giant crane magnets on scrap heaps.
Getting rid of parts we don't want or can't use — like stones from grain.
Getting two different useful components separately — like butter and buttermilk from curd.
Basis: Size, colour, shape
Example: Stones out of grain
Basis: Wind / weight
Example: Husk from grain
Basis: Particle size
Example: Flour from bran
Basis: Boiling point
Example: Salt from seawater
Basis: Settling + pouring
Example: Tea from tea leaves
Basis: Particle size + filter
Example: Mud from muddy water
Two or more substances mixed together.
Sorting by hand.
Separating grain from stalk / husk.
Separating by particle size.
Heavier solid settles at the bottom.
Pouring off the liquid on top.
Trapping solids with a porous filter.
What's trapped / what passes through.