Science with Tara

In this video, we will focus on simple distillation.

Simple distillation is a technique used to obtain a pure solvent from a solution. For example, in a salt solution, salt is the solute and water is the solvent. We can use simple distillation to obtain pure water from a salt solution.

Apparatus and Their Functions

1. Distillation Flask + Boiling Chips

• The salt solution is heated and boiled in the distillation flask.
• Boiling chips are added to ensure smooth boiling.
• The solvent, which is water, vaporises and rises then goes into the condenser.

2. Thermometer

• Placed at the top of the distillation flask, beside the side arm of the distillation flask. It is used to measure the temperature of the vapour of the pure solvent (boiling point of the pure solvent).
• Important: The bulb of the thermometer should not be dipped into the solution. If it is, it will measure the boiling point of the salt solution, which is higher than that of pure water.

3. Condenser

• Hot vapour from the flask enters the condenser.
• Condenser has 2 tubes. Cold water flows in from the tube at the bottom, while flows out from the tube at the top. This ensures the whole condenser is filled up with cold water. This provides an efficient cooling system for the vapour.
• The vapour cools and condenses back into liquid inside the condenser.
• The condenser should slope downwards so the liquid can flow into the receiver.

4. Receiver

• The pure liquid (distillate) is collected here.
• If the distillate is volatile, place the receiver in an ice bath. This ensures the low temperature of distillate and allows it to remain as a liquid, not evaporate away.

How Simple Distillation Works

1. The salt solution is heated.
2. Water (solvent) vaporises and rises into the condenser.
3. The vapour cools and condenses back into pure water.
4. Pure water is collected as the distillate in the receiver.
5. Salt (solute) remains in the distillation flask as the solution becomes more concentrated.

Summary

Component	Role in Simple Distillation
Boiling chips	Ensure smooth boiling
Thermometer	Measure temperature of pure solvent vapour
Condenser	Cool and condense vapour into liquid
Receiver	Collect pure solvent (distillate)
Distillation flask	Contains the original solution

Result: At the end of the experiment, pure solvent (water) is collected in the receiver, while the solute (salt) remains in the distillation flask.

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