Fractional distillation is a separation technique used to separate a mixture of liquids that have different boiling points. This process involves heating the liquid mixture to a temperature at which one or more fractions of the compound will vaporize. The vapor is then cooled and condensed back into a liquid to be collected. This method is commonly used in the petrochemical industry to separate crude oil into useful fractions such as gasoline, kerosene, and diesel.
