ACTIVITY 3.

SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION OF SUBSTANCES

DISTILLATION
The process of distillation is the procedure usually employed for the purification of
liquid substances. This involves the conversion of the liquid to the vapour state with the aid of
heat and condensation of the vapours back to the liquid state. The condensed liquid is called the
distillate.

The types of distillation commonly employed are: 1) simple distillation; 2) fractional

distillation; 3) diminished – pressure distillation and 4) steam distillation. In the laboratory, we
usually use the simple distillation.

In simple distillation, a large temperature difference (more than 20oC) between the
boiling points of the components is necessary to obtain efficient separation. The component
which is more volatile will distil first in almost pure form at a definite constant temperature, and
the second component will distil over when the boiling point again remains constant for a long
period of time

Reagents and Materials:

25 ml Acetone (C3H6O) Rubber stopper

25 ml distilled water Bunsen burner

Condenser Extension tube

Distilling Flask Porcelain chips

200oC Thermometer
Procedure:

A. Prepare a simple distillation set – up. Refer to the diagram.

1. Introduce 50 ml of a mixture containing 25 ml distilled water and 25 ml acetone into
the distilling flask
2. Add 3 pieces of porcelain chips to the distilling flask. Cover with a one – holed rubber
stopper through which the thermometer bulb has been inserted. The thermometer bulb
should be just below the side arm of the distilling flask.
3. Have the set – up approved by the instructor before proceeding to the next step
4. Heat with the Bunsen burner and collect 5 ml of the distillate at 56oC and another at 5
ml at 100oC
 B. Test for the Completeness of Separation
1. Place 10 drops of the distillate collected at 56oC in a dry evaporating dish. Ignite it
with a lighted matchstick. Repeat the test using the distillate collected at 100oC

Questions:

1. What is distillation?
2. Why is this method effective in separating acetone from water?
3. What are the limitations of this method of separation?
4. Could the distillation process be used to convert muddy water into potable water?
Explain.
Name Date

Group no.

Activity 3.4
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION OF SUBSTANCES
Distillation

Thermometer reading Volume of distillate Ignition test

(oC) collected (Observation)