Fractional and simple distillation

• Simple distillation


  Used for separating out a liquid from a solution
• Simple distillation


  1. Heat the mixture

  2. Liquid evaporates and rises to top of flask

  3. Vapor passes down condenser

  4. Vapor cools and condenses into liquid

  5. Liquid collects in beaker
• Simple distillation can be used to separate pure water from seawater
• Equipment for simple distillation

  • Flask containing liquid mixture
  • Thermometer to measure temperature
  • Condenser with water jacket
  • Beaker to collect pure liquid
  • Heating device
• Fractional distillation


  Main technique used for separating mixtures of liquids
• Fractional distillation


  1. Vapors pass through fractionating column

  2. Column has glass rods for high surface area

  3. Column is cooler at top than bottom

  4. Liquids with lower boiling points condense and collect at top

  5. Liquids with higher boiling points condense and fall back into flask
• Liquids to separate by fractional distillation

  • Methanol
  • Ethanol
  • Propanol
• Methanol has the lowest boiling point of the three liquids
• Ethanol has a higher boiling point than methanol
• Propanol has the highest boiling point of the three liquids
• The liquids would be colorless in real life, not green