Which statement best describes how fractional distillation works?

• A. It separates liquids by freezing one component and filtering it out.
• B. It separates components of a mixture by using a magnet to attract magnetic substances.
• C. It separates components of a mixture based on differences in their boiling points by repeated vaporization and condensation in a fractionating column.
• D. It separates solids from liquids by allowing the solid to float to the top of the liquid.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that fractional distillation is a technique used to separate components of a liquid mixture based on differences in their boiling points.
2. Recognize that the mixture is heated, causing the component with the lower boiling point to vaporize first.
3. The vapor rises through a fractionating column, where repeated vaporization and condensation occur, enriching the vapor in the more volatile component.
4. As the vapor moves up the column, components with higher boiling points condense and return to the mixture, while the lower boiling point component continues to rise.
5. Finally, the vapor of the more volatile component is collected and condensed back into liquid form, effectively separating it from the other components.