State the principle involved and describe the process to separate acetone and water from their mixture.

i. Acetone and water can be separated from their mixture by simple distillation.

ii. Principle :

Acetone and water are two miscible liquids having an appreciable difference (more than 30 K) in their boiling points. Acetone boils at 56°C while boiling point of water is 100°C. When the mixture of acetone and water is heated and temperature of the mixture reaches 56 °C acetone will distil out first. Once all acetone distils out, and when the temperature rises to 100°C water will distil out.

iii. Process to separate acetone and water from their mixture :

• Take the mixture of water and acetone in the distillation flask.
• Heat the flask on a water bath carefully. At 56°C acetone will distil out, collect it in receiver.
• After all acetone distilled, change the receiver. Discard a few mL of the liquid. As the temperature reaches 100°C water will begin to distil. Collect this in another receiver.