Two immiscible liquids are taken in the above funnel for separation. Which is denser, X or Y? Suggest any one example for X and one for Y. A third liquid Z which is soluble only in Y is added to the mixture and contents in the funnel are shaken well. How many layers will you observe now? How will you separate the three liquids? Boiling point of X is 98° C, that of Y is 43° C and that of Z is 75° C.

Y is denser. One example for X is kerosene and one example for Y is water. Third liquid Z is alcohol (ethanol) which is soluble in water. We will observe two layers.

Now we will employ the process of fractional distillation since every liquid has different boiling point.

Upon taking them in fractionating column, first the liquid with least boiling point will evaporate and will be collected as pure compound and then the next one and in this we can separate all three liquids.