.2 Fractional distillation and petrochemicals

• The many hydrocarbons in crude oil may be separated into fractions, each of which contains molecules with a similar number of carbon atoms, by fractional distillation.
• The fractions can be processed to produce fuels and feedstock for the petrochemical industry.
• Many of the fuels on which we depend for our modern lifestyle, such as petrol, diesel oil, kerosene, heavy fuel oil and liquefied petroleum gases, are produced from crude oil.
• Many useful materials on which modern life depends are produced by the petrochemical industry, such as solvents, lubricants, polymers, detergents.
• The vast array of natural and synthetic carbon compounds occur due to the ability of carbon atoms to form families of similar compounds.