Topic 12 - Organics Flashcards
Define hydrocarbon
A compound made up of only C and H atoms
Define crude oil
Mixture of millions of hydrocarbon s
How is crude oil processed?
Through fractional distillation
Describe the fractional distillation of crude oil
1) oil enters the fractionating column, heated until most of it has turned into a gas (bitumen is drained off at the bottom)
2) the column is hotter at the bottom and colder at the top
3) each molecule rises as a gas until it reaches its boiling point, then it condensed into a liquid; longer hydrocarbons have high BPs
4) each different hydrocarbon has a different boiling point - because of this, they all condense at different heights in the column
5) therefore molecules with similar boiling points are separated into the same columns
6) bubble caps in the fractionating column stop the separates liquids from running back down the column and remixing
What is the order of hydrocarbons in terms of boiling points
Refinery gases Gasoline Kerosene Diesel Fuel oil Bitumen
Describe refinery gases
BPs less than 0°C
CH4 -> C4H10
Fuel for home Heating
Describe gasoline
BPs between 0°C and 150°C
C5H12 -> C9H20
Fuel for cars
Describe kerosene
BPs between 150°C and 200°C
C10H22 -> C14H30
Fuel for planes
Describe diesel
BPs between 200°C and 300°C
C15H32 -> C19H40
Fuel for trucks
Describe fuel oil
BPs between 300°C and 400°C
C20H42 ->C29H50
Fuel for ships
Describe bitumen
BPs more than 400°C
C30H62 and up
Used for making roads
Define alkanes
The main type of hydrocarbon found in fuel oil
Describe the general formula for alkanes
CnH2n+2
What is a homologous series?
- same general formula
- similar chemical reactions
- trends in physical properties
What are isomers ?
- same molecular formula
* different structural formula
State the names and formulas of the first 5 alkanes
1) methane (CH4)
2) ethane (C2H6)
3) propane (C3H8)
4) butane (C4H10)
5) pentane (C5H12)
Define saturated
Only containing single bonds
Why is CO toxic
- binds irreversibly to haemoglobin
* reduces the amount of oxygen which can be transported
What is needed for alkane substitution and what does it produce
UV light
Haloalkanes (e.g. bromomethane)
What is needed for catalytic cracking
Powdered aluminium oxide (lowers Ea)
650°C (achieves Ea)
Why is catalytic cracking necessary
Oil supply is mostly long hydrocarbon chains
Oil demand is for shorter hydrocarbon chains
Catalytic cracking shortens alkane chains while also producing useful alkenes
State the general formula of alkenes
CnH2n
What is the functional group of alkenes
C=C
Define unsaturated
Does not only contain single bonds