Question

oxygen can be obtained from air by a process called fractional distillation. what property of oxygen and the other gasses in air(especially in the nitrogen and argon) are we taking advantage of?

Answer 1

Oxygen is obtained from air through fractional distillation, which utilizes the unique boiling points of different gases to separate them. Oxygen, with a higher boiling point than nitrogen, is separated as the liquid air warms and returns to a gaseous state.

Step-by-step explanation:

Oxygen can be extracted from the air by a process known as fractional distillation. This method takes advantage of the different boiling points of the gases in the air. The air is cooled and compressed until it liquefies and as the liquid air warms, the components with different boiling points separate.

Oxygen has a higher boiling point at 90 K (kelvin) compared to nitrogen, which boils at 77 K. This difference allows for the separation of oxygen from nitrogen and argon, enabling the production of pure oxygen. Similarly, other gases can be separated based on their boiling points.

Fractional distillation is also used to separate nitrogen from the air and is essential for both industrial and biological purposes. Nitrogen, which makes up 78% of the atmosphere by volume, is used in various applications and is a component of proteins and genetic material in all plants and animals.