You are given a mixture of acetone and methyl alcohol. How will you separate them ?

Answer

To separate a mixture of acetone and methyl alcohol, you can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Properties
First, note the boiling points of the two substances. Acetone has a boiling point of approximately 56 °C, while methyl alcohol (methanol) has a boiling point of about 65 °C. Since these boiling points are relatively close, fractional distillation is an appropriate method for separation.

### Step 2: Set Up the Fractional Distillation Apparatus
Gather the necessary equipment for fractional distillation, which includes:
- A distillation flask
- A fractionating column
- A condenser
- A receiving flask
- A heat source

### Step 3: Heat the Mixture
Place the mixture of acetone and methyl alcohol in the distillation flask. Gradually heat the mixture using the heat source. As the temperature rises, the component with the lower boiling point (acetone) will vaporize first.

### Step 4: Collect the Distillate
As acetone vaporizes, it will rise through the fractionating column and enter the condenser, where it will cool and condense back into a liquid. Collect this distillate in the receiving flask. Monitor the temperature to ensure you are collecting the correct component.

### Step 5: Continue Heating
Continue heating the mixture until the temperature approaches the boiling point of methyl alcohol (65 °C). At this point, the remaining liquid in the distillation flask will primarily consist of methyl alcohol.

### Step 6: Collect Methyl Alcohol
Once the temperature stabilizes around 65 °C, you can collect the methyl alcohol that distills over. This will complete the separation process.

### Step 7: Analyze the Products
After the distillation is complete, you should have two separate liquids: one flask containing acetone and another containing methyl alcohol. You can analyze the purity of each component if necessary.

### Summary
By using fractional distillation, you can effectively separate acetone and methyl alcohol based on their boiling points.

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