The Salting Out of Ethanol and Water

TCE

The Chemical Educator

ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)

Table of Contents

Abstract Volume 1 Issue 1 (1996), S1430-4171(96)01009-6

The Salting Out of Ethanol and Water

Eugene T. Smith

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL 32901-6988, USA

Published online: 25 March 1996

Abstract. Water and ethanol are made immiscible by the addition of potassium carbonate. This effect can be visualized in a large lecture hall through the initial addition of a few drops of bromothymol blue and a drop of acid to a water/ethanol solution. After addition of potassium carbonate, the yellow solution separates into two phases, a colorless aqueous and blue organic phase. This demonstration can be used to introduce or illustrate the concept of intermolecular forces.

Key Words: Laboratories and Demonstrations; salting out; intermolecular forces; acid/base reaction; immiscible; demonstration

(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: Smithg@roo.FIT.edu)

Article in PDF format (43 KB )

Supporting Materials:

salt.jpg (134 KB) 10.1007/s00897960009b

salt8h.mov (3.1 MB) 10.1007/s00897960009c