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NAME________________________________
PERIOD____
FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION LAB
This lab will take a number of days to complete. During this time we will be finding the
properties of a liquid mixture, separating the mixture, and finally identifying the parts
which make up the mixture. Each day you will be given the objective, apparatus, and
procedures for that class period.
Answer the following questions before you begin the lab.
1. A special property is __________________________________________
2. The objective of the fractional distillation lab is to __________________ and
_______________________liquids that are dissolved together.
3. Definition of Fractional Distillation - Fill in the blanks
Fractional distillation is the process of separating two or more soluble liquids by
_________________ and changing the liquid with the lower ______________ to a
_____________________ which is called _______________________. The gas then
travels to the other test tube which is cooled and changes the gas back to a
______________ which is called _____________________
4. How can we prove if we were successful in separating the liquids?
5. List the special properties we use to identify liquids
________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
__________________________
6. Write the procedures for the following tests as demonstrated in class
a. Flammability
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
b. Solubility of Sugar
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
c. Odor
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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d. Boiling Point – see procedures in Day 1 of the lab
e. Density (the mass of 1 ml of liquid) – Remember the more volume in the 10 ml
graduated cylinder – the more accurate.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
How do you find the volume of liquid? ______________________________
Which graduated cylinder is more accurate? __________________________
Explain your answer for letter B. _______________________________
How do you find the mass of a liquid? ______________________________
What is the formula for density? _______________________________
8. Before you begin the lab you will need to read through the packet, define the words
below, and do the density review on the next page
1. special (characteristic)property __________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2.distillation -_________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. fractional distillation -_________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4. condensation -______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
5. vaporization -_______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
6. condensing tube -____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
7. distilling tube -______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
8. flammability -_______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
9. density -___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
10. solubility -________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
11. boiling chips -______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
12. fraction -___part of a whole___________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
13. plateau -___________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
14. boiling point -________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
15. tip of the probe -__where the temperature is measured______________
_____________________________________________________________________
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DENSITY REVIEW
Read the 10 ml graduated cylinders
2ml
2 ml
1 ml
2 ml
1 ml
1ml
0 ml
Find the density of the liquids below. Be sure that you;
a. write the formula
b. substitute the number and units
c. write the answer with the correct units
1.
Mass of the empty graduated cylinder = 6.9 g
Mass of grad. cylinder plus liquid = 16.9 g
volume of liquid = 5 ml
DENSITY = ____________
2.
Mass of empty graduated cylinder = 28.1 g
Mass of graduated cylinder and 8 ml of liquid = 35.2 g
DENSITY = ___________________________
3.
mass of graduated cylinder = 28.2 g
mass of graduated cylinder and 6.2 ml = 38.1 g
DENSITY = __________________________
4.
mass of graduated cylinder = 28.4 g
mass of graduated cylinder and 2.3 ml = 30.7 g
DENSITY = _________________________
5. Find the density of the liquid from the data in the pictures
3 ml
7.1 g
DENSITY = ____________
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DAY 1 - PROPERTIES OF THE WHOLE SOLUTION
OBJECTIVE - To find the properties of the whole mixture of liquids
APPARATUS
test tubes
balance
bunsen burner
wood splint
graduated cylinder
distilling apparatus
sugar
boiling chips
beaker
ring stand
PROCEDURES
1. Place 5 ml of the sample into two different test tubes.
2. One lab partner will be working on procedure numbers 3 through 6 and the other
partner will be working on procedure number 7. You will be sharing your data with your
partner after you complete today’s lab.
3. Check for flammability (does the substance burn) of the liquid with a wood splint
4. Make observations of the odor (smell)
5. Find the density (the mass per ml)
6. Check the solubility of sugar (will it dissolve)
7. Find the boiling point of the liquid (the temperature at which the liquid changes to a
gas)
DRAW THE SETUP HERE
Procedures to find boiling point
1. Place a 5 ml sample in the large test tube (distilling tube – the test tube that is
heating and vaporization occurs)
2. Add several boiling chips (rocks which allows the liquid to heat evenly)
3. Place the distilling apparatus (the thermometer, stopper, and hose) in the large
test tube.
4. Put 500 ml of water into the 600 ml beaker
5. Place the end of the hose in a small test tube (condensation tube – the test tube
where the vapor cools and condensation occurs) which is in the 600 ml
beaker.
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6. Heat SLOWLY with the Bunsen burner (rate should about 5 degrees per
minute) until almost dryness
Reminder on how to control the heating:
1. Move the ring stand before starting
2. Leave space between the test tube and Bunsen burner.
3. Turn down the Bunsen burner with the silver valve.
7. Record the temperature every 30 seconds – DURING THE LAB.
8. After checking that each of you has all the data BOTH of you must graph the
boiling point of the liquid and answer the questions.
DATA SHEET
FLAMMABILITY _________________
ODOR__________________________
DENSITY
MASS OF GRAD. CYLINDER _____
MASS OF G. C. AND LIQUID _____
MASS OF LIQUID ______________
VOLUME OF LIQUID __________
DENSITY____________________
BOILING POINT (include you data table with time and temp.) ______________
SOLUBILITY OF SUGAR _______
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QUESTIONS
1. At what temperature does your graph have plateaus (level part of the graph)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. What do you think is happening at the plateau? Explain your answer.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3. How many fractions (parts) of mixture should you collect day 2 of the lab? Explain
your answer.
4. Show on the graph below where you would switch test tubes to collect the different
liquids from fractional distillation (separation of liquids with different boiling points).
Why?
t
e
m
p
(C)
time (min)
5. In the above question, how will you know when to switch test tubes based on your
thermometer reading?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Use this graph to answer the following questions
boiling point of a mixture of
liquids
temp (celsius)
100
80
60
40
20
0
2
4
6
8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
time( min)
1. What are the boiling points of these liquids? _______________________
2. Is the mixture boiling between 0 and 1.5 minutes? _______________________
3. What time does the liquid first start to boil? _______________________
4. What time does the second liquid start to boil? _____________________
5. If you collected the vapor during the first plateau, would you have a pure liquid? If not,
what would the substance be? _____________________________________
6. If you collected the vapor during the second plateau, would you have a pure liquid? If
not, what would the substance be? ______________________________
7. If you collected the vapor between plateaus, would your have a pure liquid? If not,
what would the substance be? _____________________________________
8. According to the graph, during what time period would you collect your first pure
liquid? _______________________
9. According to the graph, during what time period would you collect your second pure
liquid? _______________________
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DAY 2 - SEPARATING THE MIXTURE
OBJECTIVE - to use fractional distillation to separate the mixture of liquids
APPARATUS
distilling apparatus
3 small test tubes
boiling chips
# 2 stoppers
burner
ring stand
one large test tube
masking tape
600 ml beaker
clamp
burner screen
PROCEDURE
1. Pour 25 ml of the solution into a large test tube (distilling tube - test tube which has the
liquid to be separated.)
2. Add 3 or 4 boiling chips
3. Place the distilling apparatus (the thermometer, stopper, and hose) in the large
test tube.
4. Put 500 ml of water into the 600 ml beaker
5. Place the end of the hose in the condensing tube which is in the 600 ml beaker.
REMINDERS
a. Keep the rubber hose below the water level of the beaker but not in the
liquid
b. Do not heat so fast that the liquid jumps to the condensing tube. Your liquid
should not be any shade of the liquid that you are distilling.
c. You may heat faster once you have reached 100 0C.
d. Record temperature every minute – Put a dash when the mercury reading is
behind the black stopper.
6. Switch you test tubes
a. After the first plateau
b. At the beginning of the second plateau - when the temperature starts to stay the
same. You can stop when you have enough liquid to test.
c. Mark on your data table when you switched test tubes
fraction 1
fraction 2
fraction 3
label and save
trash
label and save
5. Label fraction 1 and 3 with the following information
fraction #
period names of group members
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DAY 3 – SPECIAL PROPERTIES OF THE FRACTIONS
OBJECTIVE - to use the special properties to identify the fractions (parts)
APPARATUS
balance
test tubes
boiling chips
fraction 1 and 3
burner
ring stand
burner screen
distilling apparatus
wood splint
sugar
PROCEDURES
1. Find the flammability of each of the fractions
2. Find the odor of each of the fractions
3. Find the density of each of the fractions
4. Find the boiling point of each of the fractions
a. The set up is just like day 2
b. Record temp every 30 seconds
c. Stop when you have a plateau for 6 times. Keep the temperature under 1030 C.
5. Do the solubility of sugar last - Sugar will throw off your other tests.
6. Graph your data on a multiple line graph.
DATA SHEET
TEST
FRACTION 1
FRACTION 3
FLAMMABILITY
______________________________________________________________________
ODOR
DENSITY
MASS OF GRAD. CYLINDER
____________
____________
MASS OF G. C. AND LIQUID
____________
____________
MASS OF LIQUID
____________
____________
VOLUME OF LIQUID
____________
____________
DENSITY
____________
____________
______________________________________________________________________
BOILING POINT
______________________________________________________________________
SOLUBILITY OF SUGAR
______________________________________________________________________
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GENERAL CONCLUSION QUESTIONS
1. The process of separating mixtures of liquids by boiling them and collecting the liquids
in different test tubes is called ___________________.
2. Two liquids can be separated if they have different ________________________.
3. You have a mixture of 3 liquids. One boils at 56 0C, the second boils at 79 0C, and the
third boils at 100 0C.
a. Sketch a boiling point graph for the mixture and label the temperature of the
plateaus
T
e
m
p
0
C
Time (min)
b. Draw a boiling point graph for each liquid and label the boiling points
T
E
M
P
0
C
T
E
M
P
0
C
T
E
M
P
0
C
Time (min)
Time (min)
Time (min)
c. How many test tubes of pure liquid would you have collected? __________
d. Mark on graph in question 3a with an X where you would have switched the
condensing tubes.
4. What is the purpose of the beaker of cold water?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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5. When the thermometer bulb (the part of the thermometer where the mercury is stored
and the point where the temp is measured) is at the top of the distilling tube, what is it
measuring?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6. When the thermometer bulb is at the bottom of the distilling tube, what is it
measuring?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Word bank – the words may be used more than once or not at all
Boiling point
Begins to rise
Constant temperature
Lowest boiling point
Pure
two
plateau
condensing tube
three
nothing
alcohol
water
trash
second plateau
higher
thermometer
collecting
Liquids separate when heating because they have different ____________________. The
condensing tube collects _________________ during the beginning until the mixture
reaches the ________________________________. Fraction # 1 is ______________.
We switch the ___________________ after the _________________ ends. This will
separate the _____________________ from the trash. We know to make the first switch
when the thermometer _____________________________. We continue
______________fraction # ___________ in the _________________ until the graph
reaches the __________________________. We know we reached the
____________________ because the ________________________ is staying at a
______________________. After several of the same temperature readings we switch
the ____________________. Now we are collecting the # ________ fraction and it will
be ______________. It is the liquid with the ___________________ boiling point.
Fraction number 3 is ________________
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Fill in the chart using the data your group collected.
Density
Boiling point
Flammability
Odor
Solubility of
sugar
Alcohol
Water
.79 g/ml
82.5 C
Yes
Strong
No
1 g/ml
100 C
No
None
Yes
Whole
solution Day
1
Fraction #1
Fraction #3
Write a conclusion for the lab. The conclusion should include the following items and be
in paragraph form. Good copies!!!!!!!!!!!
A 20 point conclusion includes:
o State your hypothesis as to how many liquids you had in your solution -day 1
should be referenced.
o Review and evaluate your separation results and techniques. Support with data
from day 3.
o Identify the fractions – Support with data more is better then less for solid proof.
o Evaluate the purity of each of the fraction- How close your experimental results to
the theoretical were listed.
o How would you modify your procedures next time to improve your success? What
would you change now that you have done this separation once for the next time
you do this during sludge?
Grades of 18, 16, 14, 12, 10 will be given for conclusion not including all aspects of this
typical format.
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