Question

how would using a 100 ml round bottom flask instead of 50 ml affec simple distillation?

Answer 1

When we use a larger (100 mL) RBF, the chances of solvents bumping high and directly reaching the still head and condensor is reduced. In a small RBF (50 mL), due to this bumping many a times solvent directly reach the collecting flask via condensor directly as liquid form without going through gas phase, thus adding impurity and ending up in less efficient distillation.

However if volume of solvent is less so that it occupies volume around a quarter of the 50 mL RBF, it is better to use 50 mL RBF rather than 100 mL. Because there will be more loss of solvent when we use 100 mL it's large surface area.