Question

Give one application of fractional distillation.

Answer 1

Definition: The process of separation of two or more miscible liquids with differences in their boiling points close to each other into individual components by distillation is called fractional distillation.

Applications of Fractional Distillation

One of the main applications of fractional distillation is to separate the gases of the air.

Separation of Gases

We know that air is a homogeneous mixture and hence can be separated into its components by fractional distillation.

1. We have already studied that air is a mixture of gases like Carbon dioxide$\left({\mathrm{CO}}_2\right)$, Oxygen$\left(\mathrm{O}\right)$, Nitrogen$\left(\mathrm{N}\right)$, Argon$\left(\mathrm{Ar}\right)$, Helium$\left(\mathrm{He}\right)$, Krypton$\left(\mathrm{Kr}\right)$, Neon$\left(\mathrm{Ne}\right)$, Xenon$\left(\mathrm{Xe}\right)$, etc.
2. But the major component of air is Nitrogen $\left(78.03\%\right)$and then Oxygen $\left(20.09\%\right)$followed by Argon$\left(0.93\%\right)$.
3. All the remaining gases of air constitute only $\left(0.05\%\right)$of air.
4. The various gases of air can be separated from one another by fractional distillation of liquid air.
5. The fractional distillation is based on the fact that the liquid air contains all the component gases in the liquid form which have different boiling points and so, when it is warmed, the liquefied gases present in it boil at different temperatures and get collected separately at different heights in the fractional distillation column.