when large hydrocarbons are thermally broken down into smaller and useful molecules
what type of reaction is cracking?
thermal decomposition
what are the conditions for cracking?
reactant heated to vapor, passed over a hot catalyst (catalytic cracking) or heated to vapor, mixed with steam and heated to high temperatures (steam cracking)
how are the products of cracking used?
products are alkanes and alkenes - used as polymers and starting materials for synthesis
