Question

The principle behind fractional distillation in separation of two liquids is:
A.Difference in melting point
B.Difference in boiling point
C.Difference in concentration
D.Difference in solubility

Answer 1

Hint: Distillation is a technique used in purification of liquid or separation of liquid components from a mixture. In this process, the liquid is heated to its boiling point to result in vapor and again condensing vapor into liquid.

Complete step by step answer:
Now, let’s briefly discuss the fractional distillation process. In this process, a mixture consisting of different substances of different boiling point is heated in a fractional column. In this process, vapors from the boiling solution passed along a column. The temperature of the column decreases along the length and components possessing higher boiling point undergo condensation on the column and return back to solution and the component with lower boiling point passes through the column and is collected. So, the basis on which fractional distillation occurs is the difference of boiling point of the components. Hence, the correct option is B.

Additional Information:
There are two types of distillation, simple and fractional distillation. In simple distillation, liquids are purified by bringing them to their boiling point and then collecting and condensing back to liquid. This process is useful when small impurities present in the mixture or liquids to be separated have widely different boiling points. The difference between simple and fractional distillation is, in fractional distillation, those solutions are purified where the difference of boiling points of components is not much but in simple distillation, those solutions are purified where components of the mixture have a wide difference of boiling point.

Note: The separation of components of liquid, if the boiling points of the components are close to each other is done by fractional distillation. If components of a mixture have a wide difference in boiling point, then a simple distillation process is used.