Always work with a beaker below the separatory funnel. If a leak
occurs or the stopcock falls out, the beaker will collect any solution
that spills.
Place the separatory funnel into a ring stand that has been protected with some rubber tubing. Check that the stopcock is closed and that a beaker is below the funnel. Place
a regular funnel into the mouth of the separatory funnel, and carefully pour the sample solution into the funnel. Next, pour the extraction liquid into the funnel. The volume of the extraction solution used should be about one third the volume of the sample solution. Finally, remove the regular funnel and place the stopper into the separatory funnel.
