SIMPLE AND FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION

Kaila Donica T. Abeleda, Alyssa Vivien C. Aquino, Angela Beatrice L. Arevalo, Kristel Dana A. Badua, Elaine Mae F. Bautista Group 1 2B Pharmacy Organic Chemistry Laboratory

ABSTRACT
The experiment aimed to separate the components of Vodka through simple distillation. A 30-mL of Vodka was heated constantly, collecting 0.5 mL in each test tube. The collection stopped after two plateaus, one at 82C and the other at 84C. The first distillate produced a larger flame than the last distillate obtained. The computations from the data gathered showed us 40% ethanol, 60% error and 0% loss.

INTRODUCTION
In this experiment, each group used distillation process as a separation technique for vodka to be distilled. What is distillation? What are the two types of distillation? Distillation is a process of converting a liquid to a vapour, condensing the vapour, and then, collecting the distillate in another container. This technique is used to separate components in a liquid mixture which have different boiling points, or to separate a component that is not volatile. It is one of the methods used when purifying a liquid. The two types of distillation are simple distillation and fractional distillation. In this experiment, simple distillation was used by the group. Simple distillation is a process through which two liquids with unlike boiling points can be separated. This procedure can particularly be used successfully to separate liquids whose boiling points have a difference of least fifty degrees. The objective of the experiment is to separate the components of vodka, calculate the percentage of ethanol in the beverage, and determine the percentage loss and percentage error that will specify the different possible sources of error done in the experiment.

was introduced with a volume of 25ml Vodka, containing ethanol. Several test tubes calibrated to 0.5 mL mark was prepared and was numbered by one of the group members. Three pieces of boiling stones was placed into the quick-fit distilling flask and thirty (30) mL of vodka was introduced. Then, the flask was heated until the vodka has boiled. This was done so that the temperature at the first drop of the distillate could be recorded by another group member. Next, 0.5 mL each of the distillate was collected into the calibrated and numbered test tubes while the temperature at each distillate collected was noted by the group secretary. This was done until the temperature reached about 100 degrees Celsius. Afterwards, 3-5 drops of the distillate from the first test tube was placed on a watch glass. A lighted match was applied and the result was observed by the group members. This process was repeated on the distillate from the last test tube.

EXPERIMENTAL
Before the beginning of the experiment, materials, vodka, alcohol lamp, boiling stones, and simple distillation set-up were prepared. Simple distillation set-up was carefully assembled by the group. Three pieces of boiling stones were put into the distilling flask and then

collected. The temperature raised again at 84C, 86C, then 87C. The last sample was obtained at 88C. The %EtOH was 24% and the percent error was 40%. After the collection of samples, flame test was done. The sample from the first test tube gave a larger flame, and the color of it was blue. The last test tube sample still flamed blue, but not as much flame as the sample from the first test tube showed.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Room Temperature 35 79 80 81.5 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 83.5 84 84 84 84 86 86 87 88 Volume 25.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0 9.5 10.0

Figure 1. Volume vs. Temparature From the data gathered, the computation for percentage ethanol, percentage loss, and percent error are as follows:

%ethanol

vol.distillate 100 vol.sample

Table 1. Temperature at which each distillate was collected The data shows the summary of the data collected from the first test tube of distillate to the last test tube of distillate. After the process of distillation, the data were gathered and summarized. The initial temperature in the experiment was 35C. The first drop was disregarded since it may be the water stuck inside the condenser and not considered as a part of the distillate. The first sample of distillate was obtained at 79C. The collection of samples were too rapid. The next came at 80C, then 81.5C. The plateau was observed at 82C, where 4ml of the sample was

%ethanol

10ml 100 25ml

%ethanol 40% ethanol

The percentage loss was computed by:

%loss

vol.sample (vol.distillate vol.residue) 100 volsample

%loss

25ml (10ml 15ml ) x100 25ml

%loss 0.0%loss

The percentage error was computed by:

REFERENCES

%error

theoretical exp erimental theoretical

x100

[1] Pavia, D.L., Lampman, G.M. & Kriz, G.S. (2005). Introduction to organic laboratory techniques: A small-scale approach (2nd ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Thomson-Brooks/Cole. [2] University of Colorado-Boulder, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. (2003). CU Boulder organic chemistry undergraduate courses lab techniques. Retrieved May 30, 2007 from the University of Colorado website: http://orgchem.colorado.edu/hndbksupport/dist/ html. [3] University of Santo Tomas Department of Chemistry. (2006). Organic chemistry laboratory manual. Manila: Author. [4] Yee, K.Z. Simple Distillation. http://www.

%error

25 40 25

x100

%error 60%error
The group was able to get 40% ethanol from the sample vodka. The percentage loss shows the amount of liquid that was spilled during the span of the experiment. The percentage error measures the accuracy of the data. The percentage of loss and error are indications of error that occurred in the experiment. Since the experiment yielded 0%loss and 60%error, it shows that there are a lot of errors done in the experiment.

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