Separation via Distillation

The process of distillation involves the separation of substances based on their boiling points.
During distillation, the mixture is slowly heated until one component evaporates. This component then condenses and is collected separately.
Distillation is a common method for purifying and separating liquids, and it is commonly used to obtain drinking water from seawater.
Remember, distillation can only be used for mixtures where substances have significantly different boiling points; if the boiling points are very close, it becomes hard to fully separate the substances.
The first step in the distillation process is the application of heat to the mixture. The heat source must be controlled to increase the temperature steadily and gradually.
As heating continues, the substance with the lowest boiling point starts to vaporise first, leaving behind substances with higher boiling points.
The vapour rises through a column, which is cool at the top and warm at the bottom. This variation in temperature is used to encourage condensation.
A condenser is used to convert vapour back into liquid form. The condenser is a tube surrounded by cold water, which cools down the vapour quickly causing it to revert back to its liquid state.
The condensed liquid, also known as the distillate, is collected in a separate container. This distillate should be purer than the original mixture.
To separate the remaining substances, the temperature is slowly increased, allowing for the next substance with the slightly higher boiling point to evaporate.
This process is repeated until all substances have been distilled and collected.
Distillation does not cause chemical changes in the substances being separated, it only alters their physical state from liquid to gas and then back to liquid.
It’s important to remember that simple distillation can only separate liquids from solids or liquids that have a large difference in boiling points. For substances with similar boiling points, fractional distillation would be more effective.
Safety is a key consideration when conducting distillation. Be sure to handle all hot equipment with care and use proper protective equipment, such as gloves and safety glasses, when necessary.