- 1). Fill the round bottom flask about half full with the mixture you want to distill. This mixture could be a combination of two liquids or a mixture of a liquid and a solid. Add a few boiling chips to prevent the mixture from "bumping" or splashing when heated.
- 2). Place an electronic heating mantle or steam bath snugly under the round bottom flask and clamp the flask on to a ring stand to stabilize it.
- 3). Assemble the rest of the distillation apparatus glassware. Place a Y adapter into the neck of the round bottom flask. Place a thermometer in the top end of this adapter. Attach a condensing column to the remaining (side) opening of the Y adapter. Place a receiving flask below the other end (the exit) of the condensing column. Attach the condensing column to a ring stand to hold it in place, and make sure that the column tilts downward towards its exit.
- 4). Attach two rubber hoses to the inlet and outlet points of the condensing column cooling jacket. Attach the other end of the hose which leads to the inlet to a cold water source, such as a faucet. Place the other end of the hose which leads to the outlet into a drain. Turn the water flow on and make sure there are no leaks. This step causes water to flow through the exterior cooling jacket of the column and assists in condensing vapor during the distillation.
- 5). Turn on the heating mantle and gently heat the round bottom flask until the liquid or liquids begin to boil and vapor is seen condensing in the Y adapter. Keep the heat at this level. The vapor will begin to travel up the adapter and into the condenser where it will condense back into liquid and flow down into the receiving flask.
- 6). When the majority of the liquid in a liquid/solid mixture has distilled over into the receiving flask, turn off the heating mantle and allow the flask to cool down. When there is no more vapor in the system, turn off the water flow and disassemble the apparatus. Alternatively, if you are using the distillation to separate two liquids, watch the vapor temperature by studying the thermometer and stop the distillation when you see a rapid rise in temperature because this shows that all of the first liquid has been distilled over.
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