Which filtration method would be most suitable for removing the plant fibers from the extract? Explain the principles behind your choice.

The most suitable filtration method for removing plant fibers from an extract would be gravity filtration.

Gravity filtration is a method that uses the natural force of gravity to draw a liquid into a filter paper. The solid particles, such as plant fibers, are trapped on the filter paper while the liquid extract passes through.

Here are the steps:

1. First, a folded filter paper is placed in a funnel.
2. The mixture of the plant extract and fibers is then poured onto the filter paper.
3. The liquid extract, now free of the plant fibers, drips down into a container placed below the funnel due to gravity.

The principle behind this choice is that gravity filtration is excellent for solid-liquid mixtures where the solid particles are relatively large and easily separable from the liquid. In this case, plant fibers are generally large enough to be caught in the filter paper, making gravity filtration an efficient method for their removal.