Question

Look up and record the boiling point of acetic acid, and explain why only some of it evaporates from the reaction mixture.

Answer 1

Heating the mixture to a temperature above the boiling point of acetic acid, but below 100°C (the boiling point of water). The vapours from the acetic acid rise, and go into a tube. They are then condensed within the tube, and run off into a separate storage area. Because water can exist as a gas at pretty much any temperature above 0°C, it will result in an impure mixture, but repeatedly doing this will get the acetic acid to the desired purity.