In: Chemistry
Can an impure sample of oleic acid be purified by recrystallization? Justify your answer for full credit.
Oleic acid is an organic fatty acid. (C18H34O2)
It has the formula CH3(CH2)7CH=CH(CH2)7COOH. At room temperature oleic acid is in liquid state. It is colourless, odourless oil having boling point 360 °c.
As oleic acid is liquid at room temperature, we can not purified impure sample of oleic acid by recrystallization process. Because Crystallization process and recrystallization process are used for state substances.
To purified impure oleic acid we can use a distillation process.
Note:-
Crystallization:- The process of obtaining a solid in pure and crystalline form, from its solution is known as crystallizatio.
Recrystallization:- The process of repeated crystallization is known as recrystallization.
Distillation:- The process in which liquid is converted into its vapour phase at its boiling point and the vapour is then condensed back to liquid on cooling is known as distillation.
Distillation involves both evaporation of a liquid and condensation of its vapour.