<P> A boiling chip, boiling stone, or anti-bumping granule is a tiny, unevenly shaped piece of substance added to liquids to make them boil more calmly . Boiling chips are frequently employed in distillation and heating . When a liquid becomes superheated, a particle of dust or a stirring rod can cause flash boiling . This very rapid boiling can be extremely violent and cause reagents to splatter, possibly causing severe burns, ruining experiments, and damaging equipment . Boiling chips work by providing nucleation sites so the liquid boils smoothly without becoming superheated or bumping . </P> <P> Boiling chips should not be added to liquid that is already near its boiling point, as this could also induce flash boiling . </P>

Why do we add boiling chips to the mixture in the flask during distillation