Topic 8 - Fuels And Earth Science Flashcards
What type of resource is crude oil ?
Crude oil is a non-renewable (finite) resource
What are hydrocarbons ?
Hydrocarbons are molecules made up of only hydrogen and carbon atoms.
Does a hydrocarbons size change its properties ?
Hydrocarbons differ in their size, which can change the properties of the hydrocarbon.
Where is crude oil found ?
In rocks
fossilised remnants of ancient plankton.
What are crude oils used to produce?
Fuels and other important chemicals
What are crude oils a mixture of ?
Crude oil is a mixture of lots of different compounds that are not chemically combined.
What are most the compounds in crude oil ?
Most of the compounds in crude oil are hydrocarbons
What are crude oils formed from ?
Crude oil is made from the fossilised remnants of ancient plankton.
What process is used when separating crude oil into groups of hydrocarbons with similar numbers of carbon atoms ?
We call these groups of hydrocarbons “fractions”.
Fractional distillation
What are short changed hydrocarbons?
Hydrocarbons with few carbon atoms
What are long chained hydrocarbons ?
Hydrocarbons with lots of carbon atoms
Do Different-sized hydrocarbons have different boiling points ?
Yes
How does Fractional distillation separate hydrocarbons ?
uses their different boiling points
What are the steps when separating crude oils using fractional distillation?
Evaporation
Condensation
Collection
What happens during the evaporation stage in fractional distillation of crude oil ?
We evaporate the crude oil by heating it.
Crude oil vapour is put into a fractionating column at the bottom and rises upwards.
What happens during the condensation stage in fractional distillation of crude oil ?
The temperature is highest at the bottom of the column. Long-chain hydrocarbons condense at the bottom and are collected as liquids.
Short-chain hydrocarbons have lower boiling points. They pass up the column and condense at lower temperatures nearer the top
What happens during the collection stage in fractional distillation of crude oil ?
The fractions are collected. They are then processed to create end products:
Fuels (e.g. petrol, diesel) are a common end product.
The petrochemical industry can use some fractions as feedstock (material used in an industrial process) to make products such as solvents, detergents, lubricants etc.
What are the fractions of crude oil ?
Gases Petrol Kerosene Diesel oil Fuel oil Bitumen
What is the fraction of crude oil bitumen used for ?
Surfacing roads and roofs
What is the fraction of crude oil, fuel oil used for ?
Fuel for ships and power stations
What is the fraction of crude oil, diesel oil used for ?
Fuel for some cars and trains
What is the fraction of crude oil, kerosene used for ?
Fuel for aircrafts
What is the fraction of crude oil, gases used for ?
Domestic heating and cooking
What is the fraction of crude oil, petrol used for ?
Fuel for cars
What is the homologous series ?
is a series of compounds with the same general formula
What are the properties of the homologous series ?
Same genral formula - Neighbouring compounds differ by a CH2 unit
Similar chemical properties
Physical properties can change
A hydrocarbon’s size affects what ?
its properties
A hydrocarbon’s properties affect what ?
how useful it is as a fuel
What are the main properties of hydrocarbons ?
Viscosity - Hydrocarbons with longer chains have higher viscosity (i.e. they are thicker and flow less easily).
Boiling point - Hydrocarbons with longer chains have higher boiling points.
Flammability - Hydrocarbons with longer chains are less flammable.
What is cracking ?
Cracking is the process that breaks down long-chain hydrocarbons into shorter-chain molecules that are more useful
Cracking is an example of what type of reaction ?
a thermal decomposition reaction.
What are the two ways cracking can be done ?
Steam cracking
Catalytic cracking
What happens in steam cracking ?
Vapourised heavy hydrocarbons are mixed with steam in a high temperature environment.
The products include alkanes and alkenes.
E.g. decane → octane + ethene
What happens in catalytic cracking ?
Vapourised heavy hydrocarbons are passed over the top of a heated catalyst.
Alkanes and alkenes are produced by this reaction.
E.g. hexane → butane + ethene
What are the products of cracking ?
Alkanes
Alkenes
The equations for the combustion (burning) of hydrocarbons on what ?
depend on the amount of oxygen that is available.