Fractional Distillation Activity: Separating a Mixture of Liquids

Introduction:
Fractional distillation is a process used to separate a mixture of liquids with different boiling points. It takes advantage of the fact that different substances have different boiling points, allowing them to be separated based on their vaporization and condensation properties. In this activity, we will demonstrate how fractional distillation works using a simple setup.

Materials:
- Mixture of liquids (e.g., water and alcohol)
- Distillation apparatus (including a round-bottom flask, condenser, thermometer, and collection flask)
- Heat source (e.g., Bunsen burner or hot plate)
- Rubber tubing and clamps
- Thermometer

Procedure:
1. Set up the distillation apparatus by connecting the round-bottom flask to the condenser and collection flask using rubber tubing.
2. Pour the mixture of liquids into the round-bottom flask.
3. Attach a thermometer to the round-bottom flask to monitor the temperature.
4. Apply heat to the round-bottom flask using a Bunsen burner or hot plate.
5. Observe the temperature at which the liquid starts to vaporize. This is the boiling point of the first component.
6. As the vapors rise, they pass through the condenser, where they cool down and condense into liquid form again.
7. The condensed liquid collects in the collection flask.
8. Monitor the temperature throughout the distillation process and record any changes.
9. Continue heating until the temperature rises again. This indicates the boiling point of the second component.
10. Collect the distilled liquid in separate containers as it condenses, taking note of the different boiling points.

Observations:
- Initially, the liquid mixture in the round-bottom flask starts to vaporize at a certain temperature, which corresponds to the boiling point of the first component.
- As the distillation progresses, the temperature gradually increases, indicating the boiling point of the second component.
- The condensed liquid obtained in the collection flask will consist of separate components, each with a different boiling point.

Conclusion:
Fractional distillation allows the separation of a mixture of liquids based on their different boiling points. By heating the mixture and condensing the vapors, it is possible to obtain individual components in a purified form. This process is commonly used in industries such as oil refineries to separate crude oil into various useful components like gasoline, diesel, and kerosene. Fractional distillation is an essential technique for obtaining pure substances from complex mixtures.

Refer to science column