When it comes to separating substances in mixtures, two common methods are simple distillation and fractional distillation.
These techniques differ significantly in their purpose and effectiveness.
Simple distillation is primarily used to separate substances in mixtures that have very different boiling points.
On the other hand, fractional distillation is designed for mixtures containing chemicals with similar boiling points.
4 Key Differences Between Simple Distillation and Fractional Distillation
1. Purpose and Effectiveness
Simple distillation is effective for separating liquids with a significant difference in boiling points.
Fractional distillation, however, is more suitable for separating liquids with similar boiling points.
2. Process and Equipment
In simple distillation, a solution is heated in a round-bottom flask.
The component with the lower boiling point vaporizes first and passes into a condenser.
The vapor cools and condenses to form the distillate.
Fractional distillation involves the use of a fractionating column.
This column is packed with materials like metal wires, metal ribbon, or glass beads.
These materials provide a larger surface area for condensation and evaporation.
3. Separation Mechanism
In simple distillation, the separation is based on the difference in boiling points.
Fractional distillation enhances the separation process through repeated condensation and evaporation.
As the vapor rises through the fractionating column, it undergoes multiple condensation and evaporation cycles.
This results in the separation of different components based on their boiling points.
4. Efficiency and Applications
Fractional distillation is considered more efficient for separating liquids with close boiling points.
It is widely used in industries, laboratories, and chemical factories for refining petroleum and purifying chemicals.
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