Suppose you added an additional 50 ml of water to a separatory funnel containing a com- pound distributed between 50 mL of ether and 50 mL of water. (The compound you want is more soluble in ether than it is in water.) How will this addition affect
(a) the distribution coefficient of the compound?
(b) the actual distribution of the compound?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer is (a) The distribution coefficient is a constant. It is a ratio of the concentrations in the immiscible two solutions; therefore, it would not change.
(b) The actual distribution of the amount of material in the two layers would change. More of the compound would be retained in the water.

Suppose You Added an Additional 50 Ml of Water to a Separatory