Industrial Cracking

Question 1

What is cracking?

Answer 1

Cracking is the breaking down of long chain hydrocarbons into shorter-chained, more useful alkanes. There are two types: thermal and catalytic.

Question 2

Describe thermal cracking.

Answer 2

-Alkanes are heated to a high temperature and are put under a high pressure
-Shorter chains are produced due to electrons going to carbon atoms from the covalent bond
-Thermal cracking produces a high proportion of alkenes

Question 3

Describe catalytic cracking.

Answer 3

-Takes place at a lower temperature and pressure
-Zeolite catalyst consisting of silicon dioxide and aluminium oxide
-Mostly branched alkanes, cycloalkanes and aromatic compounds

Question 4

What are the economic reasons for cracking?

Answer 4

-Shorter more useful chains are produced
-Some alkenes are produced which are more reactive than alkanes