Fractional Distillation

Fractional Distillation

Put your mixture in a flask and stick a fractionating column on top. Then heat it

The different liquids will all have different boiling points - so they will evaporate at different temperatures

The liquid with the lowest boiling point evaporates first. When the temperature on the thermometer matches the boiling point of this liquid, it will reach the top of the column

Liquids with higher boiling points might also start to evaporate. But the column is cooler towards the top so they will only get part of the way up before condensing back down towards the flask

When the first liquid has been collected, you raise the temperature until the next one reaches the top

This is fractional distillation