Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
fractional process

fractional process

7.9
A method that heats a mixture to separate parts by their boiling points
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : proceso fraccionado
  • Petroleum is refined through a fractional process to produce gasoline and other fuels.

Examples

  • Many industrial chemicals are separated by a fractional process that relies on their different boiling points.

  • The laboratory used a fractional process to isolate the various chemicals present in the mixture.

  • The fractional process is essential in oil refining.

  • Can you explain the fractional process used in distillation?

  • Many industrial chemicals are separated by a fractional process that relies on their different boiling points.

  • Petroleum is refined through a fractional process to produce gasoline and other fuels.

  • The laboratory used a fractional process to isolate the various chemicals present in the mixture.

Synonyms

fractionation
vsfractional process
  • Specialized
1 9.3

To separate a mixture into parts using heat or chemicals

focuses specifically on heat and boiling point differences rather than any technique
fractional distillation
vsfractional process
  • Specialized
5.5

A process that separates a liquid mixture into parts by heating and cooling using their different boiling points

is broader, used for heat separation methods beyond this precise liquid technique
distillment
vsfractional process
  • Archaic
8.5

To purify a liquid by boiling it and collecting the steam that turns back into liquid

aims to separate into components by heat, not only to purify a single liquid

Surface Forms

fractional process singular
fractional processes plural

Morphology

fractional + process

The adjective 'fractional' (relating to fractions or parts) combined with 'process' readily suggests to a learner that this is a procedure that separates or produces parts, so the broad idea is inferable from the constituents. However, the specific technical meaning involving heating and differences in boiling points (i.e. fractional distillation/fractionation) is specialized and not predictable from the words alone, making the expression only partially transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

The noun fractional process comes from the image of heating a mixture so its parts boil away at different temperatures and are collected one by one. fractional means 'into parts' and process means a method, so the phrase refers to a way of separating a substance by using different boiling points.