Solvent Extraction of Iodine with Hexane

Steps:

• Shake mixture with hexane (X): Iodine dissolves in hexane; carbon remains insoluble.
• Filter X: Filtrate contains dissolved iodine in hexane; residue is solid carbon.
• Evaporate filtrate to dryness: Hexane solvent removes, leaving pure solid iodine.
• This isolates iodine from the mixture.

Why B is correct:

• Iodine's high solubility in hexane allows it to dissolve selectively, enabling separation via filtration and evaporation of the iodine-containing filtrate (solubility-based extraction principle).

Why the others are wrong:

• A: Distillation of X yields hexane distillate; evaporating it recovers only solvent, not iodine.
• C: Residue after filtering X is insoluble carbon; evaporation yields no change or separation.
• D: Y (water-shaken) has minimal iodine dissolved; distilling yields water distillate, evaporating it gives no solid.

Final answer: B