crude oil

• what are hydrocarbons

  compounds that contain hydrogen and carbon atoms only
• what is crude oil

  a complex mixture of hydrocarbons

  contains molecules with rings or chain of carbon and hydrogen compounds , a finite resource , an important source of useful substances like fuels
• where can crude oil be found

  under the sea and ground
• what does it mean when crude oil is described as finite

  it will run out
• how can crude oil be seperated

  fractional distillation
• why is crude oil seperated

  unseperated crude oil isnt very useful but the seperated products are very useful
• refinery gas is a fraction of crude oil , what are its uses 


  heating and cooking
• what is a common use of petrol

  fuel in cars
• kerosene is a frqaction of crude oil , what is a common use

  aircraft fuel
• diesel oil is a fraction of crude oil , what is it used for

  fuel for some cars and trains
• what are common uses of bitumen

  road surfacing and roofs
• what is fuel oil used for

  fuel for large ships and in some power stations
• how do hydrocarbons at each fractions differ

  volatility

  flammability

  viscosity

  number of hydrogen and carbon atoms their molecules have
• what is viscosity 


  how thick and sticky a substance
• where do hydrocarbons with the highest viscosity condense

  they are collected at the bottom of the fractionating column
• what is volatility


  a materials ability to turn into a gas
• where do hydrocarbons with the highest volatility condense

  the top of the fractionating column

  this is because as the hydrocarbon chains are shorter therefore there are less intermolecular forces that need to be broken , this means that the boiling point is lower and it can more easily be turned into a gas
• what is flammability


  the hydrocarbons ability to be set on fire
• where are the most flammable hydrocarbons

  at the top of the fractionating column , this is because the hydrocarbon chains are short meaning that they are gases at room temperature , this gas then mixes with oxygen in the air to produce a gas mixture which will turn into flames if it comes in contact with a spark
• why do longer hydrocarbons have a low flammability

  they are lqiquids at room temperature meaning they have higher boiling points
• how does the length of hydrocarbons at each fraction differ

  the ones at the top are shorter in length and the ones at the bottom are longer
• why are longer hydrocarbons more viscus

  there are stronger forces between the hydrocarbons , this means that it is harder for the liquid to flow , the long chains can also entangle in eachother