Fuels Flashcards
What is a fuel?
a substance that burns in air or oxygen to release a usable amount of energy
Which of the following are examples of fossil fuels?
a) Methane
b) Octane
c) Biodiesel
d) Bioethanol
e) CSG (coal seam gas)
f) Liquid petroleum gas (LPG)
g) Natural gas
h) Biogas
i) Diesel/petrodiesel
a) Methane
b) Octane
e) CSG (coal seam gas)
f) Liquid petroleum gas (LPG)
g) Natural gas
i) Diesel/petrodiesel
Describe the greenhouse effect
the process of the warming of the Earths lower atmosphere due to the increased quantities of gases of ‘greenhouse gases’ such as carbon dioxide, water vapour and methane in the air
a) What is a biofuel.
b) Name three biofuels
a) a fuel sourced from biomass / organic matter
b) biogas, bioethanol, biodiesel
Define fossil fuel.
a natural fuel formed in the earth from plant or animal remains
What is petrodiesel?
A liquid hydrocarbon fossil fuel obtained from crude oil
Which type of fuel has a lower energy content; biofuels or their fossil fuel equivalent, i.e. biogas or CH4 sourced from fossil fuel?
biofuels have a lower energy content compared to their fossil fuel equivalents, i.e. CH4 sourced from fossil fuel with have a higher energy contact than biogas
State if fuels generally have a high or low boiling point, flashpoint, flammability
Fuels generally have low boiling point, low flashpoint, high flammability
State some storage considerations for a fuel
store away from naked flames (because fuels are flammable)
store in well ventilate areas (to avoid suffocation / asphyxiation)
State some safety considerations for dealing with fuels with a low boiling point
use / store away from naked flame (as the fuels will be flammable)
work in well ventilated areas (as vapours can be harmful)
avoid contact to the skin and eyes by wearing safety glasses, labcoat and gloves if required
State the intermolecular bonding that can occur between hydrocarbons
dispersion forces
Explain why the boiling point of pentane is higher than he boiling point of ethane
Comment of the structure of the molecules, then identify the intermolecular bonding before linking to the question.
Because pentane (C5H12) is a longer chain hydrocarbon compared to ethane (C2H4),
Then pentane has a larger number of dispersion forces acting between the molecules
Therefore a greater level of kinetic energy is required to disrupt the forces between pentane, hence pentane has a higher boiling point.
Explain why the boiling point of propane is lower than the boiling point of ethanol
Comment of the structure of the molecules, then identify the intermolecular bonding before linking to the question.
Because ethanol contains a hydroxyl group whereas propane is a straight chain hydrocarbon
Then hydrogen bonds form between the hydroxyl (-O-H) groups of ethanol molecules whereas only dispersion forces exist between propane molecules
Therefore the stronger intermolecular bonds between ethanol molecules require a greater kinetic energy to overcome causing ethanol to have a higher boiling point
Define the term flashpoint
the temperature at which a particular organic compound gives off sufficient vapour to ignite in the air
Explain why the flashpoint of propan-1-ol is higher than the flashpoint of propan-2-ol
Comment on the structure of the molecules, then identify the intermolecular bonding before linking to the question
Because propan-2-ol has branched chain molecules whereas propan-1-ol has straight chin molecules
Then the propan-1-ol molecules are able to fit closer together allowing the dispersion forces between propan-1-ol molecules to be stronger than the dispersion forces between propan-2-ol molecules as the forces are acting over a shorter distance
Therefore greater energy is required to disrupt the bonds between panpan-1-ol molecules causeing it to be less easily vapourised.
Define renewable resource
one that can be replenished at a rate as quickly or faster than the rate they are being consumed / used
Define non-renewable resource
One that is NOT able to be replenished at a rate greater than or equal to the rate it is being consumed / used
Identify three examples of renewable fuels
Biogas,
Bioethanol,
Biodiesel
Identify three examples of non-renewable fuels
Methane,
natural gas,
Coal,
Coal-seam gas,
Diesel / Petrodiesel