Crude oil and fuels Flashcards
What is a Hydrocarbon?
A compound only containing Hydrogen (H) and Carbon (C).
How is crude oil formed?
Over millions of years from the remains of ancient biomass. (e.g. dead creatures and plants).
What is an Alkane?
Hydrocarbons that have single bonds.
What are the first four Alkanes?
- Methane (CH4)
- Ethane (C2H6)
- Propane (C3H8)
- Butane (C4H10)
What is the general formula for Alkanes?
Cn H2n+2
How does the boiling point depend on the chain length?
The longer the chain, the higher the boiling point.
How does viscosity depend on the chain length?
The longer the chain, the higher the viscosity.
How does flammability depend on the chain length?
The higher the chain, the lower the flammability.
How are the different fractions of crude oil separated?
Fractional Distilation.
What is a fraction?
A group of Hydrocarbons with the same chain length.
Name five useful fuels produced from Frational Distilation.
- Petrol
- Deasel oil
- Kerosene
- Heavy fuel oil
- Liquified petroleum gas.
Name four useful substances produced from crude oil.
- Lubricants
- solvents
- Polymers
- Detergents.
What is cracking?
The process of breaking down a long chain Hydrocarbon into an alkane and alkene.
Name two methods to carry out cracking.
- Steam cracking.
- Catalyst cracking.
What are the products of cracking?
Short chain alkanes and alkenes.
