Crude Oil Flashcards
what is crude oil
a mixture of hydrocarbons
how can crude oil be separated by fractional distillation
- oil heated until it’s mostly gas. gases enter a fractionating column and the liquid bitumen is drained off at the bottom
- in column, HOT AT BOTTOM and COOL AT TOP.
- longer hydrocarbons drain off first at hotter bottom
- shorter hydrocarbons drain out later (lower boiling points)
what are refinery gases used for
domestic heating and cookimg
what is gasoline used for
a fuel in cars
what is kerosene used for
fuel in aircraft
what is diesel used for
fuel in some cars and larger vehicles
what is fuel oilused for
fuel for large ships and power stations
what is bitumen used for
surface roads and roofs
long hydrocarbons are,…
viscous, dark in colour and have HIGH boiling points
shorter hydrocarbons are…
paler and thinner in colour, and have LOWER boiling points
combustion reactions with hydrocarbons
- releases energy in form of heat.
- when burnt in oxygen the products are carbon dioxide and water = complete combustion
incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons
incomplete combustion produces CARBON MONOXIDE and SOOT as well as carbon dioxide and water.
in car engines…
the temperature reached is high enough to allow nitrogen and oxygen from air to react forming nitrogen oxides
where does sulphur dioxide come from?
sulphur impurities when fuels are burnt
how is acid rain caused?
when sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides mix with water vapour in clouds they form dilute sulphuric acid and nitric acid. the rain that falls from these clouds is acid rain.
this causes lakes to become acidid
