What is the Difference between Distillation and Fractional Distillation?
Distillation is a general term that describes a group of specific methods which use heat to separate mixtures. Simple distillation and fractional distillation are two types of distillation. What can make this confusing is that some people incorrectly call simple distillation just “distillation.” Simple distillation and fractional distillation use much of the same equipment and principles to separate mixtures, but fractional distillation also uses a fractionating column. Fractional distillation is used when the boiling points of chemicals in a mixture are close to each-other, while simple distillation is generally used when the boiling points are significantly different. In simple distillation, a mixture containing chemicals with different boiling points is heated to a gentle boil. The chemical, now in gaseous form, travels upward and then over into a cooled tube called a condenser, where it becomes a liquid again. The condenser is angled slightly downward, and a purer version of the de
