Two liquids isohexane and 3-methylpentane has boiling point `60^@C` and `63^@C`. They can be separated by

Options

A. FIGUREractional distillation, isohexane
B. simple distillation, 3-methylpentane
C. FIGUREraction distillation 3-methylpentane
D. simple distillation, isohexane

Answer

To solve the problem of separating isohexane and 3-methylpentane, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Identify the boiling points of the liquids
- Isohexane has a boiling point of **60°C**.
- 3-Methylpentane has a boiling point of **63°C**.

### Step 2: Understand the properties of the liquids
- Both liquids are hydrocarbons and have similar structures, which means they are likely to have similar physical properties.
- The boiling points are relatively close, indicating that they can be separated using a method that exploits this difference.

### Step 3: Choose the separation method
- Since the boiling points of isohexane and 3-methylpentane are close (only 3°C apart), the most suitable method for separation is **fractional distillation**.
- Fractional distillation is effective for separating mixtures of liquids with close boiling points because it allows for the separation of components based on their boiling points through repeated vaporization and condensation.

### Step 4: Determine which liquid will distill first
- The liquid with the lower boiling point (isohexane at 60°C) will distill first.
- Therefore, isohexane will be collected before 3-methylpentane during the fractional distillation process.

### Final Answer:
Isohexane and 3-methylpentane can be separated by **fractional distillation**, with isohexane distilling out first.

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