The receiving flask

The receiving flask is the ending point for all liquids that are trickling down from the condenser. There are various types of collection and receiving flasks depending on the mixture and type of distillation.

Figure 1: Example of a receiving flask used during distillation

When collecting multiple fractions in relatively quick succession, we can benefit from using a cow-type receiving flask. This flask has multiple protrusions, like the udders on a cow, that can be spun around to collect small amounts of different liquids quickly - without the need to remove and replace the glassware.