Fuels Flashcards

1
Q

What are hydrocarbons

A

Compounds made up of hydrogen and carbon atoms ONLY

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2
Q

What is crude oil

A

A complex mixture of hydrocarbons

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3
Q

What does finite mean

A

Will run out/deplete

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4
Q

What is fractional distillation

A

The separation of crude oil into into simpler, more useful
mixtures

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5
Q

Explain the steps of fractional distillation in 3 steps

A
  1. heated crude oil enters a tall fractionating column
    (which is hot at the bottom and gets cooler towards the top)
  2. vapours from the oil rise up the column
  3. condense when they get cool enough
  4. liquids are let out at different heights
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6
Q

List the 6 fractions that crude oil can be split into in order from highest to lowest

A
  1. Gases
  2. Petrol
  3. Kerosene
  4. Diesel oil
  5. Fuel oil
  6. Bitumen
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7
Q

What are Gases used for?

A

Domestic home cooking

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8
Q

What is Petrol used for?

A

Fuel for cars

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9
Q

What is Kerosene used for?

A

Fuel for aircraft

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10
Q

What is Diesel used for?

A

For some cars and trains

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11
Q

What is Fuel oil used for?

A

For large ships and power stations

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12
Q

What is Bitumen used for?

A

For fixing roofs and roads

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13
Q

Describe how small molecules behave?

A
  1. Low boiling point
  2. Very volatile (ability to evapourate)
  3. Low viscosity (thickness)
  4. Ignites easily
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14
Q

Describe how large molecules behave?

A
  1. High boiling point
  2. Not very volatile
  3. High viscosity
  4. Doesn’t ignite easily
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15
Q

What is the homologous series?

A

a group of chemicals which have similar chemical properties

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16
Q

What is the general formula for the homologous series?

A

Cn H2n+2

17
Q

Describe the complete combustion of hydrocarbons

A

CO2 and H2O are produced
Energy is given out (exothermic)

18
Q

Describe the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons

A

Carbon (soot) and CO (carbon monoxide) are produced

19
Q

How does carbon monoxide act as a poisonous gas

A

it’s a colourless, odourless gas that binds to haemoglobin preventing oxygen to be carried around

20
Q

How impurities in some hydrocarbon fuels result in the production of sulfur dioxide

A

sulphur compounds found in hydrocarbon impurities when oxidised become sulphur dioxide

21
Q

Why is sulphur dioxide bad for the environment

A

Can dissolve in rainwater causing acid rain

22
Q

What 3 things does acid rain do

A
  1. Destroy limewater monuments
  2. Alter the pH of lakes killing animals
  3. Reduce the growth/ kill off crops
23
Q

How is nitrogen dioxide formed

A

Nitrogen monoxide from exhaust pipes combines with oxygen to become nitrogen dioxide

24
Q

Advantages of replacing petrol with hydrogen

A
  1. Isn’t a finite resource
  2. only produces water
25
Q

Disadvantages of replacing petrol with hydrogen

A
  1. Expensive
  2. Difficult to store and transport hydrogen
  3. Dangerous - can be explosive
26
Q

What is cracking

A

when larger hydrocarbon molecules are broken down into smaller, more useful hydrocarbon molecules

27
Q

What are the two types of cracking

A

Thermal Cracking
Catalytic Cracking

28
Q

Describe thermal cracking

A
  1. Crude oil is heated to high temperatures (around 600-700°C) in the absence of oxygen
  2. Breaks longer chains into shorter chains
29
Q

Describe catalytic cracking

A
  1. Zeolite catalyst reduces the activation energy
  2. Crude oil is heated to (around 450-550°C)
  3. Higher yield of desired products produced