Name: ____________________________________

Experiment 7 - Lab Report Instructions

1. Using the measurements you made in the lab plot a graph of the temperature of the
vapour phase versus volume of distillate produced for both the simple and fractional
distillations. Both sets of data should be plotted on the same graph.
Table 1: Temperature of Vapour and Distillate Data
Simple Distillation
Volume (mL)

Temperature (C)

Receivers Changed

Fractional Distillation
Volume (mL)

Temperature (C)

Receivers Changed

Name: ____________________________________

2. Analysis of Temperature vs Distillate Produced Data

Determine the percent volume of water and ethanol in your original beverage as
determined by simple an fractional distillation. This is done by visually determining
the point of inflection on your graph of the temperature of the vapour phase versus
volume of distillate produced and assuming that from 0 mL to that point the distillate
contains ethanol only, and after that point the distillate contains water only.
Determine the experimental boiling point of ethanol and water using the temperature
versus distillate graph. This is done by looking at the flat portions of the curve at the
beginning and the end of distillation. The boiling point is the horizontal line of best fit
through these points on the graph. Find the experimental boiling points of ethanol
and water as determined by the data from simple and fractional distillation.
Table 2: Analysis of Temperature vs Distillate Produced Data
Distillation
Simple

Fraction

Volume (mL)

% Volume

Experimental
Boiling Point

Ethanol
Water

Fractional

Ethanol
Water

Literature boiling point (C) for:

Ethanol: ___________________ Water:__________________
Please provide your reference:_____________________________________________

Name: ____________________________________

3. Analysis of the Original Beverage Using the VPC

Calculate the percent by volume of ethanol and water for your original beverage
(brandy or rum) by using the appropriate chromatograph provided in the laboratory
lab manual (see pas 14 and 15).
The relative area under the curve of each peak of the chromatogram is proportional
to that compounds abundance in the mixture. Calculate the percent area of of each
peak (ethanol and water) compared to the total area under all peaks.
The percent area of a peak for a given compound can be related to percent mass of
that compound in the mixture by use of a calibration curve. Use the curve on page
16 and its trendline to convert percent area of ethanol into percent mass of ethanol
and water in the mixture.
Using the mass percent of each component and the densities of each substance
(ethanol; 0.789 g/mol, water; 1.00 g/mL) calculate the percent by volume of the
mixture. (Start by assuming 100 g of the mixture)
Table 3: Analysis of Original Beverage by VPC

Beverage

Retention
Time
(min)
Ethanol
Water

Calculations for % Volume

Peak Area
(Counts)

% Area

% Mass

% Volume

Name: ____________________________________

5. Analyze the first fraction (ethanol) of your distillation using the VPC. Using the same
methods used with the VPC data for the original beverage, calculate the percent by
volume for both the fractional and simple distillations. Use the peak areas to
determine the percent by volume of ethanol and water.
Table 4: Analysis of Data from the VPC of Simple and Fractional Distillation
Type of
Distillation
Fractional

Retention Peak Area

Time
(Counts)
(min)

% Area

% Mass

Ethanol
Water

Simple

Ethanol
Water

Sample Calculations for % Volume of the Fractional Distillation.

% Volume

Name: ____________________________________

6. For the report you complete and include the previous 4 pages, your VPC data, and
any other graphs and charts you have created.
7. Type your response to the following question and submit them with your report.
a) Comment on two significant differences in the shape of the temperature vs
volume of distillate curve of fractional and simple distillation. What do these
differences tell you about the efficiency of separation in fractional and simple
distillation?
b) Compare percent composition of the original beverage calculated from the
temperature vs volume of distillate curves for simple and fractional distillation to
the chromatogram of the original beverage provided in the laboratory manual.
Which method, fractional or simple, yields more accurate results? Justify your
answer.
c) What were the retention times for water and ethanol in each of the
chromatograms you produced? Do they significantly differ from sample to
sample? Should they?
d) According to the temperature vs volume of distillate plot, what was the percent
volume of ethanol in the ethanol fraction of your (simple or fractional, whichever
method YOU used in the lab) distillation? What was the percent of ethanol in the
ethanol fraction of your distillation when calculated using the chromatogram?
Which result is more accurate? Support your answer by stating any assumptions
you made and how they affect your accuracy.
e) How pure was the ethanol fraction in the fractional and simple distillation? Use
your results to justify your answer. Using this information, discuss the relative
merits of simple and fractional distillation in separating water-ethanol mixtures.
8. Answer questions 15, 16, 17 from page 24 of the lab manual.