STUDENT SPACE · TOPIC 3
Simple and fractional distillation
Explain how distillation recovers a solvent or separates a mixture of liquids.
The essentials
- Distillation collects a liquid by vaporising it and then condensing the vapour.
- Simple distillation can collect a solvent from a solution containing a dissolved solid.
- Fractional distillation separates miscible liquids with different boiling points using repeated vaporisation and condensation in a fractionating column.
Key vocabulary
| English | Chinese |
|---|---|
| distillation | 蒸馏 |
| condenser | 冷凝器 |
| distillate | 馏出液 |
| fractionating column | 分馏柱 |
Quick practice
You need the liquid solvent from a solution. Why is evaporation alone unsuitable?
Need a hint?
What happens to the vapour if there is no condenser?
Check your reasoning after trying
Evaporation lets the solvent escape as vapour. Distillation condenses that vapour so the solvent can be collected.
Use Lesson 3 in your worksheet for written practice. Your teacher will discuss those answers in class.