C9: Crude Oil Flashcards
How was crude oil formed?
The remains of ancient biomass consisting mainly of plankton that was buried in mud
What is crude oil?
A mixture of a very large number of compounds, where most are hydrocarbons
Which hydrocarbon makes up crude oil more?
Alkanes
What is the general formula for alkanes?
CnH2n+2
What can the fractions from fractional distillation of crude oil be processed to produce?
Fuels and feedstock for the petrochemical industry
What is usually produced from crude oil that is part of the petrochemical industry?
Petrol, diesel, kerosene and petroleum gas
What materials are produced by the petrochemical industry?
Solvents, lubricants, polymers and detergents
What properties of hydrocarbons depends on the size of molecules?
Boiling point, viscosity and flammability
What happens during the combustion of hydrocarbons?
The carbon and hydrogen are oxidised
What does complete combustion produce?
Carbon dioxide and water
What are the products of cracking?
Alkanes and alkenes
Which hydrocarbon is more reactive and more useful?
Alkenes
What is homologous series?
Molecules or compounds with similar properties that react in a similar way and the same general formular
What are the 4 different properties of alkanes that are investigated?
Boiling point, volatility, viscosity and flammability
What is the relationship between chain length of alkanes and boiling point
The longer the chain, the higher the boiling point
What is the relationship between chain length of alkanes and volatility?
The shorter the chain, the more volatile
What is the relationship between chain length of alkanes and viscosity?
The longer the chain, the more viscous
What is the relationship between chain length of alkanes and flammability?
The shorter the chain, the more flammable
What alkanes are best for fuels?
Short chain
How was crude oil formed?
Remains of dead plankton that died millions of years ago and buried in mud. Over millions of years the organic remains were compressed under lots of heat and pressure which chemically changed them to crude oil
What is the process of fractional distillation?
Heat crude oil to become gaseous. The hot gases then rise up the column, then cool down as the top is cooler than the bottom. The longer chains with higher boiling points condense first when the become cooler than their boiling point. Shorter ones do this after.
What type of reaction is cracking?
Thermal decomposition
What catalyst is used in cracking?
Powdered aluminium oxide
