Separating Funnel

Description

A separating funnel is a laboratory glass apparatus used to separate two immiscible liquids that form distinct layers, such as oil and water, based on their difference in density. It is usually made of borosilicate glass and has a conical or pear-shaped body, a ground glass stopper at the top, and a stopcock valve at the bottom to control the flow of liquid.

When the mixture is poured into the funnel and allowed to stand, the heavier liquid settles at the bottom while the lighter liquid forms the upper layer. The stopcock is then carefully opened to drain the lower layer first, allowing effective separation of the two liquids.

It is widely used in chemistry laboratories, pharmaceutical work, and industrial processes for solvent extraction, purification, and separation of compounds.