Could pentane be successfully separated from hexane by distillation? and could cyclohexane be successfully separated from benzene by distillation? explain?
Yes, pentane can be successfully separated from hexane by distillation, and cyclohexane can be successfully separated from benzene by distillation. Distillation is a separation technique that relies on the differences in boiling points of the components in a mixture.
To understand how pentane and hexane can be separated, we need to look at their boiling points. Pentane boils at approximately 36.1 °C, while hexane boils at around 69 °C. Since pentane has a lower boiling point than hexane, it will vaporize first during distillation. By heating the mixture to a temperature between the boiling points of both pentane and hexane (but lower than the boiling point of hexane), the pentane will vaporize, while the hexane will remain in liquid form. The vapor will then be collected, condensed, and separated from the liquid hexane, resulting in the separation of the two compounds.
Similarly, in the case of cyclohexane and benzene, cyclohexane has a boiling point of approximately 80.7 °C, while benzene boils at around 80.1 °C. Although the boiling points are very close, there is still a slight difference. By applying distillation and carefully controlling the temperature, it is possible to selectively vaporize one compound while leaving the other behind. In this case, raising the temperature above the boiling point of benzene but below that of cyclohexane will cause the benzene to vaporize. By collecting and condensing the vapor, benzene can be separated from the remaining liquid cyclohexane.
It is important to note that distillation can only separate compounds with a significant difference in boiling points. If the boiling points of the components are too close, distillation alone may not be sufficient for effective separation. In such cases, additional techniques like fractional distillation or other separation methods may need to be employed.