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Why does distillation work?

Updated: 8/10/2023
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13y ago

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The fractional distillation column has the mixture of substance. The mixture consists of substances which have very less difference in their boiling points . When heat is passed, the

substance with lowest boiling point forms vapours. After this every substance of the mixture changes into the vapour. These vapours get collected separately and are then condensed to get separate substances

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Sigurd Nolan

Lvl 13
1y ago
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12y ago

the substance that is being purified will be heated and its physical properties will change (usually it forms a natural state of that substance)

Using special apparatus the alcohol is heated until 80ºC at which alcohol boils, the alcohol evaporates and separates from the water, it then goes through some special tubes cold water always flowing and so the alcohol condenses and falls into the glass or tank etc...

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13y ago

Distillation works because different substances have different vapor pressure (volatility).

We usually think of distillation as a way to remove water and other substances from alcohol. Alcohol starts as sour MASH. That is some type of grain or other carbohydrate soaking in water. Bacteria or yeast is added to the mixture. The mess smells sour. That is why it is called sour mash. When it is ready, it is taken to the still. In the still, the stuff is heated to the temperature where alcohol evaporates more than water does. The alcohol boils out quicker.

It goes down a long cooling tube where the vapor is condensed. It turns back to liquid. There it is placed into a container for storage or use.

The rest of the water may be boiled off and the used sour mash might be sold for cattle feed.

Thus distillation works because it removes one liquid with a low boiling point from a liquid with a higher boiling point.

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13y ago

Distillation separates out the different constituents of a liquid mixture. So, say you have made some alcohol in a home-made way you would have a mixture of alcohol, water and various other things. By distilling it the alcohol would come of as a gas and be condensed in a condenser, thereby becoming separated from the water and the rest of the junk.

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13y ago

Distillation is used to separate mixtures based on differences in their volatilities. It's actually very simple. You have two or several different mixtures somewhere, like in a bowl. Then you warm it up, and the mixture with the lowest boiling point will start evaporate. Then you need to collect all the steam and get it over to another bowl.

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Suwila Nsululu

Lvl 4
4y ago

Fractional distillation is used to separate liquids like water and ethanol the liquid that will come out first is ethanol because it has a lower boiling point. In industrial applications it works to separate various components like crude oil and manufactures spirits like whisky ,rum etc

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12y ago

It separates all of the substances components

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13y ago

It is when something is water vapoured and condensed through a filter tunnel.

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7y ago

The liquid is heated in the distilling flask and vapours of components are gradually released.

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Suwila Nsululu

Lvl 4
4y ago

It involves simple distillation and fractional distillation which separate miscible and immiscible liquids. The pure and condensed liquid is called distillats

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Q: Why does distillation work?
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