Separate a Liquid from a Solution

Fractional Distillation

Purpose:

• Separate a mixture of miscible liquids with different boiling points.

Example:

• Separate Water and Ethanol mixture.

Which liquid will be distilled first?

• The one with the lowest boiling point
• The vapors of liquids with higher boiling points will condense along the fractionating column and fall back into the round-bottomed flask

Glass beads

• To provide a large surface area for vapour to condense on

Useful applications of fractional distillation

• Obtain nitrogen, argon and oxygen from air.
• Separate petroleum into useful fractions.
• Obtain ethanol produced by the fermentation of glucose solution.