vacuum filter

A scientist pours a liquid through a vacuum filter in the lab.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A filtration apparatus: A "vacuum filter" is a device that uses negative pressure (a vacuum) to draw a liquid through a filter medium, separating solid particles from the liquid. It is commonly used in laboratories and industrial processes for rapid filtration.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The chemist used a vacuum filter to separate the precipitate from the solution. (The device with a vacuum was employed to remove solid particles quickly.)
  • In the lab, a vacuum filter speeds up the filtration of viscous liquids. (The apparatus accelerates the process by applying suction.)

Advanced Usage

• "vacuum filtration": the process of using a vacuum filter.
  • Vacuum filtration is preferred for collecting fine crystals because it reduces drying time. (The method using a vacuum filter is chosen for efficiency.)

Variants and Related Words

• Filter (n): a porous material or device that removes solid particles from a fluid.
  • The coffee filter traps the grounds. (A simple filter without vacuum.)
• Vacuum (n): a space devoid of matter, or a state of reduced pressure.
  • The vacuum pump creates a vacuum for the filter. (The low-pressure condition is essential for the device.)

Synonyms

• Suction filter: a filter that uses suction (synonymous with vacuum filter in many contexts).
• Buchner funnel: a specific type of vacuum filter used in chemistry, often with a filter paper.

Related Idioms

• (No common idioms directly associated with "vacuum filter.")
• Filter out: to remove unwanted elements (not specific to vacuum).
  • The system filters out impurities. (It eliminates contaminants, possibly using a vacuum filter.)