Fractional Distillation Of Crude Oil

Question 1

What does crude oil consist of?

Answer 1

> mixture, mostly of hydrocarbon molecules

Question 2

How does a fractionating column work?

Answer 2

> works continuously with heated crude oil being piped in at the bottom.

> vaporised oil rises up the column and the fractions are tapped off constantly at different levels where they condense.

Question 3

Why can a fractionating column work?

Answer 3

> because crude oil is a mixture and so the individual compounds are not chemically bonded and so retain their respective properties. Incl. ( condensing point)

Question 4

What are the properties of short chain alkanes?

Answer 4

> more runny

> more flammable

> more volatile
- lower melting and boiling points

Question 5

What is a mixture?

Answer 5

A substance consisting of two or more elements or compounds that are not chemically bonded together

Question 6

Describe the process of fractional distillation.

Answer 6

> heat the crude oil

> small hydrocarbons condense at the top, larger nearer the bottom
as they have different condensing points

Question 7

What is meant by a saturated hydrocarbon molecule?

Answer 7

> one where there are no double bonds, each hydrogen and carbon molecule has formed its maximum amount of bonds.