Question

This week's experiment, it is crucial that you vent your separatory funnel often. Why is it so much more important this week (more than one correct answer is possible)? (We are using some acids and bases and ethyl ether just so you know all the options are relevant)

Ether is flammable

Acid base reactions are exothermic

Ether has a very low boiling point

aqueous acids and bases can be explosive

Answer 1

two answers are correct

Acid base reactions are exothermic correct

Ether has a very low boiling point

both are correct

when you close the separating funnel and shake it

in side pressure will develop this is common

but when you use the low boiling solvents vapor preesure of this solvents is very high so these will develop huge pressure so we have to remove these pressure for each shaking other wise separating funnel will break

similary acid base reactions also