Which process can efficiently separate components of a liquid mixture based on boiling points?

Which process can efficiently separate components of a liquid mixture based on boiling points?

• A. Chromatography
• B. Distillation
• C. Filtration
• D. Extraction

Answer: (B)

Distillation is a technique specifically designed to separate components of a liquid mixture based on their different boiling points. When a liquid mixture is heated, the component with the lower boiling point vaporizes first. This vapor is then cooled and condensed back into a liquid form, effectively isolating that component from the mixture. This process can be repeated multiple times (fractional distillation) to achieve further separation of components with close boiling points. In contrast, chromatography separates substances based on their affinity to a stationary phase versus a mobile phase, which does not directly involve boiling points. Filtration is used for separating solids from liquids or gases but does not apply to liquid-liquid mixtures. Extraction involves separating components based on their solubility in different solvents, which is a different principle than boiling point separation. Thus, distillation is the most suitable and efficient method for separating components of a liquid mixture based on their boiling points.

Distillation is a technique specifically designed to separate components of a liquid mixture based on their different boiling points. When a liquid mixture is heated, the component with the lower boiling point vaporizes first. This vapor is then cooled and condensed back into a liquid form, effectively isolating that component from the mixture. This process can be repeated multiple times (fractional distillation) to achieve further separation of components with close boiling points.

In contrast, chromatography separates substances based on their affinity to a stationary phase versus a mobile phase, which does not directly involve boiling points. Filtration is used for separating solids from liquids or gases but does not apply to liquid-liquid mixtures. Extraction involves separating components based on their solubility in different solvents, which is a different principle than boiling point separation. Thus, distillation is the most suitable and efficient method for separating components of a liquid mixture based on their boiling points.