What Does a Slight Temperature Increase Indicate in Simple Distillation?

[jnimagine]

HELP NEEDED! regarding distillation...

Hi
I am in need of desperate help with chemistry...
So we did a simple distillation of an unknown alcohol and after the distillation, we were to identify what the alcohol is..
My result was that i got my first drop of distillate at around 89degrees and then the temperature increased by about 2degrees C as more distillate was obtained...
now, we were given some boling point temperatures of some alcohols and since I got the first drop at 89, I concluded that my alcohol is 1-propanol + water which has a boiling point of 88. When we graph the data with temperature and the volume of distillate, it obviously is almost a straight line because temperature only changed by like 2degrees C.
I'm not too sure what to discuss for this lab other than that the boiling point was similar... what's up with the temperature increasing a little... or is that a big reading error? Is it an azeotrope? If so, how do I determine from the data and the graph that it is an azotrope...?
and also, the little bit of the mixture left in the still pot turned pink after the distillation...
WHAT IS GOING ON?
Please help me understand my results/graph to interpret the data...
I would REALLY appreciate it...
Thanks.

 

[Borek]

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=263702

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=262453

I doubt you will get more help.

 

[Blueshift5]

Hello, it sounds like you are having some difficulty interpreting your distillation results. First of all, it is important to note that the boiling point of a mixture is not always the same as the boiling point of its individual components. This is due to a phenomenon called azeotropy, where the vapor produced during distillation has a different composition than the liquid mixture. This could explain why your temperature increased slightly as more distillate was obtained.

To determine if your mixture is an azeotrope, you can compare the boiling point of your mixture to the boiling points of the individual components. If the boiling point of your mixture is significantly different than the boiling points of the components, then it is likely an azeotrope.

As for the pink color of your remaining mixture, this could be due to impurities in your unknown alcohol. It is important to properly clean and prepare your equipment before conducting a distillation to avoid any contamination.

In terms of interpreting your data and graph, it is important to consider the accuracy and precision of your measurements. A small increase in temperature could be a result of a slight variation in the heating source or a minor error in measurement. It is always a good idea to repeat experiments multiple times to ensure the reliability of your results.

I hope this helps you understand your results better. If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out for help. Good luck with your experiments!