c7 - organic chemistry

• crude oil is a mixture
• what is a hydrocarbon?


  a molecule containing only carbon and hydrogen atoms
• what is the process used to separate hydrocarbons?

  fractional distillation
• fractions of crude oil are molecules that have a similar number of carbon atoms
• fractional distillation: hydrocarbons will evaporate and condense at different temperatures
• why do hydrocarbons have different boiling points?

  because they have a different number of carbon atoms
• as hydrocarbons get bigger, their viscosty increases
• what are the products of complete combustion?

  carbon dioxide and water
• what is cracking?


  when hydrocarbons are broken down into smaller, more useful molecules
• what is the test for alkenes ?

  they will turn brome water from orange to colourless
• alkenes are used as the starting point for polymers
• viscosity is how thick and easily poured a substance is, high viscosity means thick
• in alkanes, carbon atoms bond to four hydrogen atoms. they are saturated as all of there bonds with other atoms are single bonds
• alkanes are used as fuels as they combust quite easily
• the formula for alkanes is Cn H2n+2
• in alkenes, one carbon atom will bond to two hydrogen atoms
• alkenes are unsaturated as they contain double bonds. they are more reactive than alkanes
• the formula for alkenes is Cn H2n+2
• volatility is how easily a compound evaporates . a compound with a low boiling point has a high volatility