Fractional Distillation Lab Report Discussion

Abstract: Distillation is the process of vaporizing a substance or a mixture; condensing it through the water condenser and then collecting it in the receiving flask1. In this experiment, fractional distillation is used to separate organic compounds that have a minuscule difference of their boiling points. The objective of this experiment is to purify and separate ethanol and water by fractional distillation to achieve the 95% of ethanol and 5% of water; then determine the density of the liquids that were collected. In the experiment, 20 mL of ethanol solution were heated in the distillate flask and maintaining the temperature around 78°C to 82°C until there were 2 mL collected in the receiving flask . The results I observed is that I did not obtain a 95/5 percentage of ethanol and water and my average density of my purify …show more content…
Once, it is set up, measure a 20 mL of ethanol solution into a 10 mL graduated cylinder then pour it into the round bottom flask. Then, weigh a 10 mL graduated cylinder for use in determining the density later on in the procedure. Turn on the heating mantle and the water supplies. Watching the temperature of the thermometer While the liquid is heating, wait for about 10 to approximately 15 minutes for the water to move up the column; to make sure to distill the liquid slowly through the fractioning column by adjusting the heat. Temperature will go up around 78°C when the ethanol reaches up the column of the distillate. In addition, make sure to maintain the temperature range around 78°C to 82°C. There should be drops flowing into the receiving flask. Adjust the heat as the drops are going into the receiving flask, collect 2 mL of the