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GCSE - Chemistry > Topic 8 Fuels And Earth Science > Flashcards

Topic 8 Fuels And Earth Science Flashcards

1
Q

What are hydrocarbons?

A

Compounds containing only carbon and hydrogen atoms

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2
Q

What is crude oil?

A

Complex mixture of hydrocardbons

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3
Q

Is crude oil finite or infinite?

A

Finite resource

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4
Q

What is crude oil an important source for?

A

Useful substances like fuels and feedstocks for petrochemical industry

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5
Q

How are the carbon atoms arranged in crude oil?

A

In rings or chains

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6
Q

Where can crude oil be found?

A

Under sea and ground

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7
Q

What does ‘finite’ mean?

A

Will run out

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8
Q

How can crude oil be separated?

A

Fractional distillation

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9
Q

How does fractional distillation separate crude oil?

A

Oil vapourised then enters fractioning column (hotter at bottom)
Vapours rise and condense at different fractions (boiling pts)
Low boiling pt = tapped off at top of column

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10
Q

Why is crude oil separated?

A

Unseparated crude oil isnt v useful but separated products (eg petrol) are more useful

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11
Q

Refinery gas is a fraction of crude oil. What are its common uses?

A

Heating and cooking

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12
Q

Which fraction of crude oil is used as fuel in cars?

A

Petrol (gasoline)

Diesel

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13
Q

Kerosene is a fraction of crude oil. What is a common use of kerosene?

A

Aircraft fuel

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14
Q

Diesel oil is a fraction of cruse oil. What is it commonly used for?

A

Fuel for cars and trains

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15
Q

Which fraction of crude oil is used for road surfacing and roofs?

A

Bitumen

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16
Q

Fuel oil is a fraction of crude oil. What is it commonly used for?

A

Fuel for large ships and in some power stations

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17
Q

How do the hydrocarbons at each fraction differ?

A

Boiling pts
Ease of ignition
Viscosity
No of hydrogen and carbon atoms in molecules

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18
Q

Where in the fractioning column do hydrocarbons with the highest viscosity condense?

A

Bottom of column

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19
Q

What does viscosity mean?

A

How thick and sticky a substance is

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20
Q

Name some properties of hydorcarbons that are tapped from the top of the fractioning column, like petrol and refinery gas?

A

Low boiling pt
Highly volatile
Easily ignited
Shorter carbon chains

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21
Q

What is a homologous series?

A 
Series of compounds which:
Have same general formula
Have similar chemical properties
Differ by CH ₂ in molecular formula from neighboring molecules
Slight variation in physical properties
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22
Q

Products from crude oil mostly belong to which homologous series?

A

Alkanes

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23
Q

What are the only products when a hydrocarbon fuel undergoes complete combustion?

A

Water and carbon dioxide

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24
Q

True or false?

Energy is given out when a fuel undergoes complete combustion

A

TRUE

the reaction is exothermic

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25
What element does a compoumd react with during combustion?
Oxygen
26
When does incomplete combustion occur?
When there is an insufficient supply of oxygen
27
Whats required to ensure complete combustion occurs?
Reaction should be carried out with excess oxygen
28
What are the products of incomplete combustion
Carbon particles - soot (C) Carbon monoxide (CO) Water
29
What are the problems with carbon monoxide?
Toxic gas Is colourless and odourless - if breathed can cause death Prevents red blood cells carrying oxygen round body
30
What are the problems with incomplete combustion?
Produces carbon monoxide which is toxic and can be fatal if breathed Produces carbon particles which cause global dimming and respiratory problmes
31
Why is sulfur dioxide sometimes produced when burning hydrocarbon fuels?
Some hydrocarbon fuels contain sulfur impurities | When fuel is burned sulfur reacts with oxygen to form sulfur dioxide
32
How is acid rain produced?
Sulfur dioxide evaporates (from combusting impure hydrocarbon fuels) into air Reacts with water in clouds to form sulfuric acid
33
What problems can acid rain cause
Corrodes buildings and statues made of limestone Kills/damages vegetation Lowers pH of bodies of water, killing wildlife
34
How are oxides of nitrogen produced from car engines?
High temp and pressure of engine causes nitrogen and oxygen to react (from air)
35
What problems are associated with oxides of nitrogen?
Pollutants Produce acid rain with similar effects as sulfur dioxide Cause respiratory problems
36
Advantages of using hydrogen as fuel for cars?
Releases more enegry per kg than other fuels Water is only product so no pollutants Renewable source - can be extracted from water
37
Disadvantages of using hydrogen as fuel for cars?
Expensive to produce Lots of energy required for electrolysis of water to get hydrogen Difficult and dangerous to store - volitile and easy to ignite
38
Name the non renewable fossil fuel found in natural gas
Methane
39
Are petrol, kerosene and diesel renewable fuels?
No - non renewable
40
What is cracking?
Breaking down large hydrocarbons into smaller more useful ones
41
What are saturated alkanes cracked into?
Shorter chain alkanes and short chain unsaturated alkenes
42
What does saturated and unsaturated mean?
Saturated - only contains single bonds | Unsaturated - contains some C=C double bonds
43
What type of reaction is cracking?
Thermal decomposition
44
Why is cracking necessary?
Demand for shorter chain alkenes and alkanes is much greater than demand for long chain alkanes
45
What produced the gases that formed Earth’s early atmosphere?
Volcanic activity
46
Describe how Earths early atmosphere formed
Surface was molten w no atmosphere Cooling caused land masses to solidify Volvanoes formed on land masses and released gases - formes early atmosphere
47
What was Earth’s early atmosphere thought to contain?
Little/no oxygen Lots of carbon dioxide Water vapour Small amounts of other gases
48
How did oceans initially form?
Condensation of water vapour
49
How did the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere decrease after oceans formed?
It dissolved into the oceans so the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere decreased
50
How did the amount of oxygen in the early atmsophere increase?
Growth of plants used carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and produced oxygen
51
What is the chemical test for oxygen?
Insert glowing splint into test tube of gas | If oxygen present, splint will ignite
52
What are greenhouse gases?
Various gases in atmosphere that absorb the heat radiated from earth
53
Give two examples of greenhouse gases
Carbon dioxide | Methane
54
What is the greenhouse effect?
Electromagnetic radiation from sun pases through atmosphere Earth absorbs some and heats up Heat radiates from Earth as infrared radiation Some of this is absorbed by greenhouse gases - warms atmosphere
55
How has human activity increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration?
Burning fossil fuels for energy releases carbon dioxide | Deforestation reduces the amount of photosynthesis occuring - less carbon dioxide converted to oxygen
56
Evaluate the evidence that human activity is causing climate change
+ Is correlation between CO₂ concebtration in atmosphere, fossil fuel consumption and temp change. - Correlation doesnt mean causation - May be uncertanties in data (eg historical accuracy)
57
Whats the current composition of Earth’s atmosphere?
Nitrogen - 78% Oxygen - 21% Argon - 0.93% Carbon - 0.04%
58
What are the effects of global warming?
``` Melting polar ice caps Difficulties aquiring drinking water Flooding Forest fires Destruction of ecosystems ```
59
How has human activity increased the amount of methane in the atmosphere?
Raising livestock such as cows | Decay of organic waste in landfill sites
60
How can the effects of global warming be mitigated?
Construct flood defences in areas of low land Use irrigation systems to provide water in drought Produce alternative crops which are better adapted to new environment

GCSE - Chemistry (8 decks)

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