Making Crude Oil Useful

Question 0

How are fossil fuels described?

Answer 0

Finite because there are limited supplies and non-renewable because when they run out they cannot be made again as they take millions of years to form.

Question 1

Name the 3 fossil fuels

Answer 1

Crude oil
Coal
Natural gas

Question 2

Where is crude oil found and how is it released?

Answer 2

Found trapped in the earths crust. A hole is drilled through the rock to release it. If the oil is under pressure it will flow out, if not it will need to be pumped.

Question 3

What is crude oil like when it is extracted? (4)

Answer 3

A thick, black, sticky liquid.

Question 4

How is crude oil transported?

Answer 4

Through a pipeline or in oil tankers

Question 5

What are the problems and dangers caused by oil spillages? (3)

Answer 5

• Oil slicks float on the sea’s surface, coating the feathers of sea birds and preventing them from flying.
• If oil washes ashore it can damage beaches
• The detergents that are used in attempt to disperse oil slicks are also toxic to wildlife

Question 6

What is crude oil?

Answer 6

A mixture of many hydrocarbons

Question 7

How does the process of fractional distillation work?

Answer 7

The different hydrocarbons within crude oil have different boiling points, meaning that crude oil can be separated into different fractions by heating.

Question 8

How does cracking work?

Answer 8

It converts large alkene molecules into smaller, more useful alkene and alkane molecules. The new alkenes can be used to make polymers. The new, smaller alkane molecules can be used to make petrol which is in high demand.

Question 9

What two things are needed for cracking to take place?

Answer 9

A catalyst and a high temperature