Simple and Complex Distillation Laboratories
Overview: The distillation flask, fractionation column and distillation head make up the part of the
apparatus where liquid components are volatilized and separated. (This unit should be constructed high
enough on a ring stand to permit raising and lowering of the heating unit and assembled using the
clamped flask as the foundation for the apparatus.) The rest of the apparatus serves to condense the
hot vapor back to a liquid as it flows out the side-arm of the distillation head into the water-cooled
condenser. (Caution: water should always flow from bottom to top of the condenser) Liquid flows down
the condenser and through the adapter into a collection vessel. A thermometer is attached to the top of
the distillation head by an adapter in order to determine the temperature of the vapor being collected.
The animation shows the step-by-step assembly of a fractional distillation set-up. A simple distillation
apparatus is less efficient than a fractional distillation apparatus, but is used to purify materials
containing only small amounts of impurities with much higher or lower boiling points.
Materials Required:
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Water tubing
Distillation Condenser
1 drilled stopper
1 250o F or equivalent (OC) thermometer
Boiling beads
Distillation Column
Distillation Flask
Distillation Receiver
Heat Pad
Ring Stand, Clamps and Rings
Source of water
Source of 110 v AC electrical power
50 ml ethyl or isopropyl alcohol
Food Coloring
Distilled or de-ionized water
Safety Goggles, gloves and laboratory apron
Procedure:
Students will remain together for this experiment.
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Assemble distillation apparatus
Begin water flow through the condenser
Combine 50 ml of distilled H2O and 50 ml of the alcohol of choice.
Place the alcohol/H2O mixture in the distillation flask and gradually heat until it begins to boil.
Have students record temperatures and volumes of recovered liquid throughout the experiment
i.e. First drop of liquid (temperature), at 5% recovery, 10% recovery etc. until a final boiling
point is achieved.
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Discuss the student’s observations and why they think that certain things happened.
Automatic Distillation:
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Allow the students to assist in setting up the automatic distillation unit using some of the
techniques that they learned in the first segment of this experiment.
Place the distillation apparatus on computer control and allow the students to comment as to
the ease of this distillation versus the manual distillation.
Purpose:
This exercise will allow students perhaps their first experience in working within a chemistry laboratory.
(Note: make it enjoyable and let them have LOTS OF HANDS ON). It also demonstrates the value of
instrumentation within an industrial complex.
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of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration. The information contained in this product was created by a grantee organization and does not
necessarily reflect the official position of the U. S. Department of Labor. All references to non-governmental companies or organizations, their
services, products, or resources are offered for informational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement by the Department of
Labor. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it and is intended for individual organizational, noncommercial use only.
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