Paper 2 - Organic Flashcards
Crude Oil?
refined crude oil in rocks. Crude oil is a finite resource (if we continue using it, then crude oil will one day run out)
how was crude oil formed?
From the remains of tiny sea creatures called plankton, which were buried in mud, over millions of years ago
hydrocarbon?
Are molecules made up with hydrogen and carbon atoms only e.g. Methane CH4
H H—C—H H
What is crude oil a mixture of?
Molecules called hydrocarbons e.g. Methane CH4
what is an alkane?
scientist say they are saturated molecules.
They have a general formul CnH2n+2
This is because if we know the number of carbon atoms in the alkane (n) then we can calculate the number of hydrogen atoms
Ethane?
C2H6
H H H—C—C—H H H
Propane?
C3H8
H H H H—C—C—C—H H H H
Butane?
C4H10
H H H H H—C—C—C—C—H H H H H
what is viscosity?
Tells us the thickness of a fluid
What happens as the size of the hydrocarbon molecules increase e.g. Methane ➡️ Ethane ➡️ Propane etc?
the molecules get more viscous (thicker and move more slowly)
Flammability?
Tells us how easily a hydrocarbon combusts (burns)
Are short chain hydrocarbons flammable?
Yes extremely flammable
That’s why we use Methane in bunsen burners
The longer the chain of hydrocarbons…?
The more difficult they are to burn
Do short chain hydrocarbons have a low or high boiling point?
Low boiling point e.g. All the 4 hydrocarbons are gas at room temperature
When do hydrocarbon fuels release energy?
when combusted (burned)