Carbon Chemistry Flashcards
Allotrope
Different forms of the same element
Alkane
A hydrocarbon with only single bonds and the formula: CnH2n+2
Alkene
A hydrocarbon with double bonds and the formula: CnH2n
Catalyst
A substance which speeds up a reaction, without being used up
Covalent bond
A shared pair of electrons between two non-metal atoms
Cracking
Breaking down long hydrocarbons into short hydrocarbons
Crude oil
Fossil fuel containing a mixture of hydrocarbons
Delocalised electron
An electron which is not held in an energy level or shell
Fractional Distillation
A technique which separates substance based on boiling point
Fullerene
Molecules of carbon atoms with hollow shapes
Giant covalent structure
A structure containing lots of covalent bonds
Hydrocarbon
A compound made of only carbon and hydrogen atoms
Monomer
The small repeating unit of a polymer
Nanotube
A layer of graphene, rolled into a tube
Polymer
A large molecule made of many smaller repeating units
Thermal decomposition
The breaking down of a substance using heat
Viscosity
How thick and sticky a liquid is
Give a use of nanotubes
Drug delivery/lubricants/catalyst
How many bonds to carbon atoms form in diamond?
4
How many bonds to carbon atoms form in graphite?
3
Why can graphite conduct electricity?
It has delocalised electrons
Which bonds are in diamond and graphite?
Covalent
What was the first fullerene discovered?
Buckminsterfullerene
Why is graphite slippery?
The layers can slide over each other
What is crude oil made from?
The biomass, mainly plankton, which was buried millions of years ago in mud and compressed
What are the first four alkanes?
Methane, Ethane, Propane, Butane
What is the temperature gradient in the fractionating column?
Hot at the bottom and cold at the top
What is complete combustion?
Combustion in a plentiful supply of oxygen
What is incomplete combustion?
Combustion in a limited supply of oxygen
What happens to the boiling point of the fractions as you go up the tower?
It decreases
What happens to the viscosity of the fractions as you go up the tower?
It decreases
What happens to the volatility of the fractions as you go up the tower?
Increases
What is a thermosetting polymer?
A plastic that cannot be melted and remoulded
What is a thermosoftening polymer?
A plastic that can be melted and remoulded
