C1 Cracking, polymers and ethanol Flashcards
What process is used to break larger hydrocarbon molecules into smaller one?
Cracking
Describe this process.
Vaporise the hydrocarbon and pass over a hot aluminium oxide catalyst
What is a hydrocarbon?
Compound made from only carbon and hydrogen
What are the products of cracking?
Smaller alkanes and alkenes
What is a catalyst?
Something that speeds up a reaction without being used up
Give 3 uses of the products of alkenes.
Fuels, plastics, ethanol
Give the general formula of alkenes.
CnH2n
Are alkenes saturated or unsaturated?
Unsaturated
How can you test for unsaturation?
Bromine water is decolourised
What is the formula for ethene
C2H4
Draw a propene molecule.

What special feature does an alkene contain?
Double bond
What do you see if bromine is added to ethene?
Goes from orange to colourless
What is a monomer?
An alkene
What is a polymer?
Many monomers joined together
Give the reaction for the polymerisation of ethene?

Name the product for the polymerisation of ethene?
Polyethene
Give the reaction for the polymerisation of propene?

What feature do polymers not have that the monomers do?
Double bonds
Polymers have many new uses, give 2 examples.
Hydrogels in nappies and waterproof coating like Gore-tex
Many polymers are not biodegradable, what does this mean?
Don’t break down
Give 2 problems with polymers not being biodegradable.
Fill up landfill sites and produce litter
Some plastic bags are made from cornstarch polymer why is this useful?
Renewable and biodegradable
List 3 ways in which polymers are disposed of.
Incineration, landfill and recycle