Question

1a.Is it proper procedure to add the boiling chips down through the condenser once a solution has started to reflux? What is expected to happen if this procedure is followed?

1b.What main advantage and disadvantage can you predict about fractional distillation?

Answer 1

1 a) It is not a proper process to add boiling chips to the condenser once a solution has started to reflux. When a solution has started to reflux, the temperature of the solution is close to the boiling point of the solution. Adding boiling chips at the boiling point of the solution can cause flash boiling or superheating of the solution and this can cause an explosion of the distillation apparatus. Hence, boiling chips must always be added to a solution at the start of the experiment; and then the solution must be refluxed slowly to avoid bumping of the solution.

b) The main advantage of fractional distillation is that it can be used to separate liquid fractions having more or less close boiling points. Fractional distillation is highly efficient and is used to refine crude oil to produce useful fractions like diesel, kerosene, naptha, etc.

One of the major disadvantages of fractional distillation is that it is cumbersome and highly expensive, especially when implemented on an industrial scale. Morever, there may be operational hazards involved like explosions or burns due to heat, etc.