Crude oil

Question 1

What is crude oil?

Answer 1

A liquid mixture of hydrocarbons (mostly alkanes)

Question 2

What can we use to separate crude oil?

Answer 2

Fractional distillation, as the hydrocarbons have different boiling points.

Question 3

What do we separate crude oil into?

Answer 3

Fractions, which are a GROUP of chemicals with a similar boiling point.

Question 4

What is the apparatus used for separating crude oil?

Answer 4

Fractionating column

Question 5

What are the conditions that crude oil needs to be at when it is separated?

Answer 5

At high temperatures (300 C) and high pressure - this uses a lot of energy

Question 6

What is the correlation between the particles of crude oil and their boiling points?

Answer 6

The particles condense at different heights (in the fractionating column) based on their boiling points.
The higher the boiling point, the sooner it condenses. This is because: the chemical takes more energy to remain as a gas. The lower the boiling point, the longer it stays a gas. Some are just a gas at room temp. (natural gas).

Question 7

Higher boiling point = ___ molecules
Lower boiling point = _____ molecules

Answer 7

Bigger (stronger intermolecular forces)
Smaller (Weaker intermolecular forces)

Question 8

Name all the different fractions, in order from bottom to top (natural gas), and their uses.

Answer 8

Bitumen - road surfacing (asphalt & tarmac)
Lubricating oil - for lubricating things you need (ex: a squeaky door)
Fuel Oil - for fueling large vehicles (boats and ships)
Disesel - fuel in trucks (lorries)
Parrafin/kerosene - fuel in airplanes!
Naptha - chemical feedstock (used in making other chemicals)
Petrol/gasoline - we know this, it is fuel for cars!
Natural gas/refinery gas (exists as a gas naturally!) - used for cooking, like for our gas stoves!