Fuels

Question 1

Give examples of fossil fuels

Answer 1

Coal
Natural gas
Petroleum

Question 2

What are fossil fuels made of?

Answer 2

Organic compounds

Question 3

What is natural gas made of?

Answer 3

Methane

Question 4

Describe crude oil and its use

Answer 4

Crude oil (=petroleum) is not a pure compound but is a mixture of different alkanes with similar boiling points. This mixture of hydrocarbons can be separated into more useful fractions using fractional distillation.

Question 5

What are alkanes?

Answer 5

Hydrocarbons have different chain lenths called alkanes

Question 6

Describe relation between chain lenght and fractionating column.

Answer 6

Fractions towards the top have molecules with shorter chains than lower down column.

Question 7

Describe how a fractionating column works.

Answer 7

1) petroleum is heated and turns into vapour as it enters the column
2) hot vapour rises
3) cools as it goes up column
4) when cool enough, it condenses into liquid and is collected into a tray.

Question 8

Use and condensing point of refinery gases fraction

Answer 8

Under 40*C

Bottled gas for heating and cooking