What are the steps involved in a typical distillation process?

The typical distillation process involves a series of sequential steps aimed at separating components of a mixture based on differences in their boiling points. The correct process begins with heating the mixture, which allows the volatile components to vaporize. Once vaporized, the gas moves through a condenser where it is cooled and converted back into a liquid. This condensed liquid is then collected as the distillate.

Each of these steps is crucial: heating is necessary to reach the boiling point of the substance to be separated; vaporization allows the component to escape the mixture; condensation is key to reconverting the vapor to liquid form; and the collection of the distillate captures the purified substance. This method is widely used in organic chemistry for purifying liquids and separating mixtures.