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Question

Question: Define solvent extraction and distillation....

Define solvent extraction and distillation.

Explanation

Solution

Liquids are one of the phases in which several chemical compounds exist. It is difficult to separate or identify liquids physically as so many liquids are colorless. Only a few are colored liquids. Different methods were discovered to separate the liquids. These methods are distillation and solvent extraction.

Complete answer:
Due to the difficulty in identification and separation of liquids. Certain methods were discovered.
Solvent extraction is the technique used for the separation or partial removal of a substance by dissolving it in another immiscible solvent. It is a separating technique.
It can be defined as the separation of a substance from a mixture by dissolving it in another immiscible solvent.
They are three different solvent extractions like liquid-liquid extraction, acid-base extraction, and liquid-solid extraction.
An example of solvent extraction is the separation of benzene from naphtha using sulfolane as a solvent.
Distillation is also a separation technique. In this technique, two liquids will be separated based on the boiling points.
It can be defined as the separation of two liquids based on boiling points.
They are different types of distillation techniques like simple distillation, fractional distillation and steam distillation. Simple distillation is useful for the liquids with the difference in boiling points greater than 250C{25^0}C and fractional distillation can be used with the difference in boiling points less than 250C{25^0}C.

Note:
The distillation process is not the same for all the liquids. Based on the boiling point difference of two liquids the distillation technique will be used. While doing the solvent extraction the separating substance must be immiscible with the solvent taken and should not completely dissolve in one another.