Final answer:
A simple distillation graph typically shows a steady temperature rise until the boiling point is reached, leading to a plateau as the volatile component distills, followed by another temperature rise if distillation continues to a second component.
Step-by-step explanation:
A simple distillation graph, which plots temperature on the Y-axis versus the volume of distillate on the X-axis, should typically show a near-constant temperature during the phase when a single component is boiling (boiling point). Initially, the temperature rises steadily as the solution begins to heat until it reaches the boiling point of the more volatile component.
At this point, the graph will show a plateau (also known as a boiling point plateau), indicating that the temperature remains relatively constant while this component is being distilled off. Once the initial component has been fully distilled, the temperature may rise again until it reaches the boiling point of the next component, after which a new plateau can occur if the distillation is continued.
The graph will look different depending on the mixture being distilled. For a pure substance or a mixture with very different boiling points, the graph will show a distinct plateau at the boiling temperature. However, if the mixture has components with similar boiling points, the temperature may rise slowly without clear plateaus, making it difficult to separate the components cleanly through simple distillation.