Using crude oil Flashcards
What are the two different ways we can obtain or make materials? Examples for each
Materials can be obtained or made from living things (cotton, paper, silk, wool)
They can also be synthetic materials like plastics
What are synthetic materials made from?
They are made from materials from the Earth’s crust that occur naturally and can be adapted
What is crude oil made of and what is it used for?
Crude oils are chain molecules of hydrocarbons of varying lengths.
A small percentage can be used to make synthetic materials, most is used as fuel
How is crude oil split to be fuel and synthetic materials?
Crude oil is separated in the petrochemical industry by refining the oil by fractional distillation. This splits the oils by boiling point into different sections for different use, fuels and materials for chemical synthesis
How does fractional distillation work in separating oils?
Within the crude oils, the molecule chains are different length and so some have stronger forces of attraction to each other meaning they boil at a hotter temperature as more heat(energy) is required to break the bonds. The short ones collect near the top where its relatively cool and the longer ones at the bottom where its hottest
How are different uses spread across a fractional distiller?
At the top is bottled gas, as it goes down various fuels boil, petrol and chemicals for synthesising first then diesel the lubricants then fuel for central heating and finally residue for roads.
What is polymerisation?
It is when monomers are combined to form longer molecule chains called polymerisation
What examples are there of chemically synthesised materials that have replaced those of the past?
Drinks bottles are now made of PET a clear, strong material that does not shatter is now preferred over glass
Kevlar has now become far more effective than alternatives and so now is primarily used.
