Question

We can separate alcohol dissolved in water by using a separating funnel.
A. True
B. False

Answer 1

There are different ways of separation of a mixture of alcohol and water. These methods are mainly based on the difference of the boiling points of the solvents.

Complete Step by step Solution:
- Alcohols and water are two types of liquids that are completely miscible with each other. Hence these two liquids cannot be separated by a separatory funnel. The best way to separate them is through fractional distillation.
- Fractional distillation is a process in which the components are separated due to a difference in their boiling points. The chemical components are separated by heating them to a temperature at which one or more components of the mixture will vaporize. It uses distillation to fractionate. The components have boiling points that differ by at least 25 $^0{\text{C}}$ at one atmosphere pressure.
- Hence, the answer to the question is false, alcohols and water cannot be separated from each other by using a separating funnel due to the fact that they are miscible with each other.

Hence, the correct answer is option B.

Notes: The separating funnel, also known as the separatory funnel, is used for different liquid-liquid separations based on their densities as the two solvents form an immiscible layer. This principle is also used to separate a solute from a solvent by using another solvent in which the solute dissolves more and is immiscible with the first liquid.