The objective of this laboratory experiment is to determine the alcohol content in a wine sample.
This can be done by if a portion of a sample of the wine is separated by distillation using an apparatus similar to that shown.
The distillate obtained contains the alcohol in the wine as well as some water. Other substances present in wine boil at higher temperatures than alcohol and water remain in the distillation flask.
A comparison of the density of the distillate with the density of alcohol-water mixtures of known composition will enable you to determine the total alcohol content in the wine sample and then to calculate the % alcohol in the total volume of wine distilled.
The next two pages will prepare you for the laboratory in that you will practice
This can be done by if a portion of a sample of the wine is separated by distillation using an apparatus similar to that shown.
The distillate obtained contains the alcohol in the wine as well as some water. Other substances present in wine boil at higher temperatures than alcohol and water remain in the distillation flask.
A comparison of the density of the distillate with the density of alcohol-water mixtures of known composition will enable you to determine the total alcohol content in the wine sample and then to calculate the % alcohol in the total volume of wine distilled.
The next two pages will prepare you for the laboratory in that you will practice
- assembly of the distillation apparatus
- calculating the percentage alcohol analogous to the one that you will do in the in the laboratory
(this must be printed and brought to your laboratory session).