Hydrocarbons from crude oil

Question 1

What happens in Fractional Distillation?

Answer 1

In fractional distillation: crude oil is vaporised by heating and is then passed into the fractioning column. Column is hotter at the bottom than at the top, and gases pass up the column through a series of bubble caps.

Question 2

What are the forces of attraction in Alkanes?

Answer 2

Weak van der Waals forces between alkanes in hydrocarbons.

Question 3

What increases the Van der Waals attractions?

Answer 3

As chain length increases so does van der Waals forces.

Question 4

Why does a branched Isomer have a lower boiling point?

Answer 4

A branched isomer has a lower boiling point than the unbranched isomers. Fewer points of contact between molecules and they cannot get as close to each other.