When using distillation to separate water from dissolved sugar, the process involves several phases:
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Heating: The sugar solution is heated in a distillation apparatus. The goal is to raise the temperature of the solution to the boiling point of water.
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Boiling: The water in the solution begins to boil once it reaches its boiling point (100°C or 212°F at standard atmospheric pressure). As the water boils, it vaporizes into steam, leaving the dissolved sugar (which has a much higher boiling point) behind.
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Vaporization: The steam produced from boiling water rises and moves into the condenser. During this phase, the water transitions from a liquid state to a gaseous state.
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Condensation: In the condenser, the steam is cooled by a coolant (often water), which causes it to lose energy and transition back to liquid form. This is where the vaporized water condenses into liquid water.
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Collection: The condensed liquid water is collected in a separate container. This is the purified water, now separated from the dissolved sugar.
Throughout this process, the sugar remains in the original vessel as it does not evaporate at the temperature used to boil the water. Thus, distillation effectively separates water from the sugar solution.
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