Liquefied air is mainly a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen which can be separated into its components by fractional distillation (Boiling point of nitrogen is 196°C, Boiling point of oxygen is 174°C)
(a) Name the fraction which distills over first. Give the reason for your answer.
(b) Give another industrial application of fractional distillation as a separation technique.
Explanation
(a) Nitrogen distils over first before oxygen because nitrogen has lower boiling point and it is therefore more volatile than oxygen
(b) Fractional distillation of petroleum