Question

Azeotropic mixture of water and HCl boils at 381.5 K. By distilling the mixture it is possible to obtain

• A. Pure HCl only
• B. Pure water only
• C. Neither water nor HCl
• D. Both water and HCl in pure state

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Neither water nor HCl

Answer 2

The azeotropic mixture of water and HCl is a mixture in which the two components boil at a constant temperature, and their composition in the vapor phase is the same as in the liquid phase. In the case of water and HCl, this azeotrope forms at a temperature of 381.5 K.
When you distill an azeotropic mixture, it's typically not possible to separate the components into pure states using a simple distillation process. The reason for this is that the composition of the vapor and liquid phases remains constant at the azeotropic point. In the case of water and HCl, as you distill the mixture, the vapor you collect will have the same composition as the liquid you started with, which is the azeotropic composition.
Therefore, You cannot obtain either pure water or pure HCl by distilling the azeotropic mixture because the composition remains constant at 381.5 K.

So, the correct option is (C): Neither water nor HCl.