Question

Which metals are purified using the method of distillation?

Answer 1

Distillation:

• By boiling an impure liquid to its boiling point and then chilling the vapors, the pure liquid can be obtained by distillation.
• For this procedure to really function, we rely on the distinction between the boiling points of metal and contaminants.
• Metals with low boiling points can be cleaned via distillation.
• As a result, this procedure makes use of metals including Zinc$\left(\mathrm{Zn}\right)$, Cadmium$\left(\mathrm{Cd}\right)$, and Mercury$\left(\mathrm{Hg}\right)$.
• This method involves heating the impure metal in a distilling flask.
• After some time, the metal will begin to boil and turn into vapors.
• Due to their high boiling point, the contaminants will not evaporate and will remain in liquid form in the distillation flask.
• The vapors will then go into the condenser, where the heat exchange takes place, lowering their temperature and turning them back into liquid.
• The receiving flask is used to collect this liquid metal, which is known as the distillate.
• Separation is therefore accomplished.

Final Answer:

Zinc$\left(\mathrm{Zn}\right)$, Cadmium$\left(\mathrm{Cd}\right)$, and Mercury$\left(\mathrm{Hg}\right)$ can be purified using the method of distillation.