Distillation's effectiveness in removing organic compounds varies, depending on such chemical characteristics of the organic compound as solubility and boiling point. Organic compounds with boiling ...

Fractional distillation works because the different liquids have different boiling points. When the mixture is heated: vapours rise through a column which is hot at the bottom, and cold at the top ...

The longest hydrocarbons have very high boiling points. They leave the column as a hot liquid called bitumen. Shorter hydrocarbon molecules have weaker intermolecular forces and lower boiling points.