Organic Chemistry

Question 1

What is petroleum (crude oil) made of?

Answer 1

It is a mixture of hundreds of different hydrocarbons.

Question 2

What is a hydrocarbon?

Answer 2

A compound of hydrogen and carbon only.

Question 3

Describe what happens to crude oil in the industry.

Answer 3

1. Crude oil is heated to form a mixture (vapour/liquid) which goes into the bottom of the fractionating column.
2. Top is cooler then the bottom, so as the hydrocarbons rise up they cool down.
3. Hydrocarbons reach a point, where it is cool enough so they turn into a liquid, at this point they condense and are collected in trays.
4. Groups of hydrocarbons, which have similar carbon chain lengths and boiling points, they will reach a similar point in the tower, so they will be collected into the same tray.
5. The groups of hydrocarbons are called fractions.