Air is a mixture of various gases.
How to Separate Different Gases from Air?
We know that Air is a mixture of different gases like Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide etc.
They are separated by using Fractional Distillation
We use Fractional Distillation because difference in Boiling Point of the gases are below 25° C
| Element | Boiling Point (of Liquefied Gas) | |
| Nitrogen | -196 °C | Lowest Boiling Point |
| Argon | -186 °C | |
| Oxygen | -183 °C | Highest Boiling Point |
Steps to separate Air into component gases:
-
Air is compressed and cooled to Liquid
This is done by increasing pressure and decreasing temperature
-
Liquid Carbon Dioxide flows out as dry ice
-
Remaining Liquid Air is Warmed up
Heat is applied slowly by using fractional distillation column
-
Different Gases get separated at different Heights
This is because of Difference in boiling points of different gases
-
Nitrogen and Argon
Move to the
top
Oxygen remains at the bottom , it is cooled as liquid Oxygen
