Question

Please provide short answers as to what they should do or why they have these observations.

a) 'I think my separatory funnel is broken. I opened the stopcock to drain the layers and nothing happened.'
b) 'I added a second volume of ether to the separatory funnel for my second extraction, but I see only one layer.'
c) 'I forgot which layer is ether and which is H₂O.' or 'I can't figure out which layer is aqueous.'

Answer 1

a) The separatory funnel's stopcock may be clogged or not properly assembled. Clean and reassemble it if necessary. b) The two liquids added may be miscible and have similar densities, resulting in the formation of one layer. c) Perform a test by adding a drop of water to identify the ether and water layers.

Step-by-step explanation:

a) If you opened the stopcock to drain the layers in your separatory funnel and nothing happened, it could indicate that the stopcock is clogged or the funnel is not properly assembled. You may need to disassemble the funnel, clean the stopcock, and reassemble it correctly.

b) If you added a second volume of ether to the separatory funnel for your second extraction and see only one layer, it suggests that the two liquids you added are miscible and have similar densities. This means they mix together instead of forming separate layers.

c) If you forgot which layer is ether and which is H₂O, you can perform a simple test to differentiate them. Add a drop of water to a small sample of one of the layers. If it mixes readily, that layer is water. If it forms droplets or does not mix, that layer is ether.