C1: Carbon Chemistry

Question 1

What are fossil fuels? And name some examples.

Answer 1

Crude oil, coal and natural gas are all fossil fuels. fossil fuels are formed extremely slowly. It takes millions of years, all fossil fuels are finite, i.e. there is a limited supply.

They’re described as non-renewable because we are using them up much faster than new supplies can be formed. This means we will eventually run out.

Question 2

Crude Oil is a mixture of what?

Answer 2

They are a mixture of many hydrocarbons. A hydrocarbon is a molecule that contains only carbon and hydrogen atoms. Different hydrocarbons have different boiling points. This means crude oil can be separated into useful products or fractions by heating it in a process called fractional distillation.

Question 3

What factors should be taken into account when choosing fuel for a specific purpose?

Answer 3

Energy Value - How much energy do you get from a measured amount of fuel?
Availability - Is the fuel easy to obtain?
Storage - How easy is it to store the fuel?
Cost - How much do you get for your money?
Toxicity - Is the fuel (or its combustion products) poisonous?
Pollution - Do the combustion products pollute the atmosphere? (e.g. Acid Rain or the Greenhouse Effect)
Ease of Use - Is it easy to control and is special equipment needed?

Question 4

When fuels burn, useful energy is released as heat. What do Chemists call this?

Answer 4

Combustion. Fuels are substances that react with oxygen in the air. Complete combustion needs a plentiful supply of Oxygen.

Question 5

If a fuel burns without sufficient oxygen, e.g. in a room with poor ventilation or when a gas appliance needs servicing, then what takes place and what can be formed?

Answer 5

Incomplete Combustion happens which can cause carbon monoxide to form.

Question 6

When a hydrocarbon contains single covalent bonds only, it is called what?

Answer 6

An alkane. The name of an alkane always ends with -ane.

Question 7

Polymers (plastics) have different properties that make them useful. What properties do certain plastics have?

Answer 7

Can be easily moulded. 
Waterproof
Electrical Insulator
Non-biodegradable
Lightweight
Flexible
Can be printed on
Unreactive
Can be coloured
Heat insulator
Transparent
Tough

Question 8

What are the different types of plastics?

Answer 8

Polythene or poly(ethene)
Polystyrene (expanded polystyrene)
Nylon
Polyester

Question 9

Name some words to describe substances.

Answer 9

Soluble substances - Dissolve in liquid
Insoluble substances - Do not dissolve in liquid
A solvent is the liquid in which a substance is dissolved
The solute is the substance that gets dissolved.
A solution is what you get when you mix a solvent and a solute.

Question 10

Paint is a mixture of what?

Answer 10

Pigment - Give the colour
Binding Medium - Oil that sticks pigment to surface it is being painted to.
A solvent - Dissolves the thick binding medium and makes it thinner and easier to coat the surface.