fuels

• a hydrocarbon is a compound made of hydrogen and carbon only
• a method to separate crude oil is fractional distillation
• as you go down the column

  • the size of the molecule increases
  • the boiling point increases
  • the ease of ignition decreases
  • the viscosity increases
• alkanes


  a homologous series of hydrocarbon compounds which share similar properties e.g. methane, ethane, propane, butane
• alkanes are saturated compounds
• complete combustion


  lots of oxygen is released
• incomplete combustion


  not a lot of oxygen is released
• carbon monoxide

  • colourless, odourless and toxic
  • prevents blood cells from carrying oxygen
  • carbon soot causes respiratory problems