Simple distillation

• Simple distillation is a technique used to separate liquids with very different boiling temperatures.
• Simple distillation of an impure liquid involves heating it in a flask attached to a condenser. The apparatus contains a thermometer, allowing a scientist to monitor the temperature of the vapour as it passes into the condenser.
• A constant temperature during simple distillation indicates that one compound is distilling over, whilst a rising temperature indicates that a different compound is distilling over.
• During simple distillation, firstly the liquid with the lowest boiling temperature will evaporate off and pass into the condenser. This means that it can be collected in the receiver separately from any other liquid that evaporates later.
• One advantage of simple distillation is that it is easier to set up and quicker than fractional distillation.
• One disadvantage of simple distillation is that it doesn't separate liquids as well as fractional distillation.
• Simple distillation should only be used if the boiling temperature of the liquid being purified is very different from the other liquids in the mixture (ideally a difference of >25 degrees).