What does alcohol distillation mean?

Answer 1

In addition to the usual, chemical definition, "distill" has other meanings, most notably linguistic, in terms of NON-chemical ones:

"verb (used with object)

1. to subject to a process of vaporization and subsequent condensation, as for purification or concentration. 2. to extract the volatile components of by distillation; transform by distillation. 3. to concentrate, purify, or obtain by or as by distillation: to distill whiskey from MASH. 4. to remove by distillation (usually fol. by off or out): to distill out impurities. 5. to extract the essential elements of; refine; abstract: She managed to distill her ideas into one succinct article. 6. to let fall in drops; give forth in or as in drops: The cool of the night distills the dew. -verb (used without object) 7. to undergo or perform distillation. 8. to become vaporized and then condensed in distillation. 9. to drop, pass, or condense as a distillate. 10. to fall in drops; trickle; exude. ---- [Origin: 1325-75; ME distillen (< AF distiller) < L distillāre, var. of déstillāre, equiv. to dé-de- + stillāre to drip]" (1)

1."distill." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 25 May. 2008. .

An example in linguistic terms would be: "Nabokov distilled the complicated ramifications of Humbert Humbert's obsession for Lolita into a single, powerful moment."

As for the more common, scientific meaning, it is worth noting that, in addition to alcohol, almost any liquid can be distilled, thus extracting the pure water from the rest of its components.

Even human or animal urine can be distilled for drinking water, which is now being discussed in many scientific circles as an extreme remedy for emergencies!

Answer 2

Distillation is the process of separating two or more substances through a physical change. A physical change is a change that involves boiling, evaporating, or freezing.

An example is distilled water, which is just H2O, and nothing else. The H2O is extracted from various salts and compounds by boiling the solution. The steam then condenses and is put in clean containers. The water has been distilled because it was separated from its solution through the physical change of evaporation.

This separation process can be used with other substances as well.

Answer 3

Distillation is the purification or the separation of the components of a liquid by evaporating it, then cooling the vapour and turning it back into a liquid - considering that different liquids have different volatilities and boiling points.

Answer 4

Distillation separates a liquid from a solution.

Example: we can obtain pure water (the distillate) from sea water by distillation.

When we boil the sea water or salt solution, water changes into water vapor, a gas, leaving the salt behind. When this gas comes in contact with a cooler surface, it looses energy and changes back into liquid water.

Answer 5

Distillation is the purification of a liquid by evaporating it, then cooling the vapour and turning it back into a liquid.

Answer 6

distillation is the process of separation of two or more soluble liquids by applying heat... it is done based on the difference in the boiling points of the liquids...

Answer 7

distill = to purify distilling = the process of purification

Answer 8

Distillation is a scientific process through which liquids are purified. The process involves boiling a liquid, then cooling the vapor to allow it to recondense in an empty container.

Answer 9

Preparation of the ethylic alcohol (ethanol) from the liquid released by fermented fruits, vegetables or grains.