Extracting Oil From Plants - Science & Plants For Schools

Skip to main content

1. Home
>
2. Resources
>
3. Extracting oil from plants

Extracting oil from plants Resource Share

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share via Email

Age Ranges:

• 14-16

GCSE science students need to understand that plant oils can be extracted by both crushing and pressing plant material and by the more complex process of steam distillation.

However, setting up and running a successful steam distillation is a skilled procedure and many schools and/or teachers do not have the expertise or the time to demonstrate this technique to their students. It is even rarer for the method to be used as a class practical.

This resource describes a simple technique that can be run as a demonstration or as a class practical to extract a plant oil. It does not require any complicated equipment or techniques and can be used for classes of a wide range of ages and abilities including GCSE Chemistry.

There are also a couple of quick demonstrations based on plant oils – including a candle you can eat and creating an oil lamp – and instructions for a student activity to show that nuts contain oils.

Download the resource pack

What's included?

• SAPS - Preparation of oil from plants - student notes
• SAPS - Preparation of oil from nuts - student notes
• SAPS - Preparation of oil from plants - teachers notes

Part of...

• Biochemistry
• Biological molecules
• Secondary

Related content

Teaching resources

• Measuring changes in ascorbic acid (vitamin C) concentration in ripening fruit and vegetables
• Interviews with scientists - Omega-3

You might also be interested in

All resources

• About SAPS

  Find out who we are and why we think supporting plant science in schools is so important.

  Read more about us

• The Growth Hub

  Resources to grow and develop the way you teach or support biology.

  Visit the Growth Hub

• Our newsletter

  Sign up to our newsletter to hear about new resources, CPD opportunities and more plant science teaching inspiration.

  Sign up here