C1 Flashcards
What are the three main fossil fuels?
Coal, (crude) oil and (natural) gas are the three main fossil fuels.

Fossil fuels are described as “finite” resources. What does “finite” mean?
“Finite” is the opposite of “infinite”. It means there is a limited supply of the fuels and that they will one day run out.

Fossil fuels are “non-renewable”. What does this mean?
“Non-renewable” means they are being used up faster than they are being formed.

What is crude oil?
Crude oil is a mixture of many different sized hydrocarbons.

What is this and what is it used for?

It is a fractional distillation column, used to separate crude oil (which cannot be used as it is) into useful products called “fractions”.
Each fraction consists of hydrocarbons of similar sizes/chain lengths.
How does fractional distillation separate the components of crude oil?
Crude oil is separated based on the different boiling points of the fractions. Lighter, shorter chains have lower boiling points. Longer, heavier chains have higher boiling points.

What happens in a fractional distillation column?

The column is hot (350-400°C) at the bottom and cooler (20-25°C) at the top.
Oil is heated at the bottom of the column and fractions boil and rise up the column.
How far they rise depends on their boiling points.
Lighter fractions with lower boiling points boil first, rise and exit at the top of the column.
Heavier fractions with higher boiling points exit nearer the bottom.

List the main fractions obtained from crude oil in the order in which they exit the column (from top to bottom).
>
LPG (liquid petroleum gas), petrol, diesel, paraffin, heating oils, fuel oils, lubricating oils, bitumen (tar).
>

Why do heavier fractions have higher boiling points?
In a fraction there are forces of attraction or “intermolecular forces” between the chains. These intermolecular forces must be broken if the fraction is to boil. This requires (heat) energy.
Heavier fractions are made up of larger hydrocarbons with longer chains. Longer chains have more intermolecular forces than shorter chains and so more energy is required to break them and so their boiling points are higher.

What are some of the problems associated with the extraction of transport of crude oil?
Environmental: Oil spills, damage to wildlife, coastlines and habitats, detergents used for oil spill clean up can also cause damage.
Political: UK dependent on politically unstable countries for oil, oil supply can be affected by war/conflict.

What does cracking do?
Cracking breaks up longer hydrocarbon chains (alkanes) into shorter alkane and alkene molecules.

Why is cracking so useful?
Cracking is useful because it can break up longer alkanes which are not very useful and which are in plentiful supply (e.g. bitumen, paraffin) into shorter alkanes which are more useful but in short supply (e.g. petrol).
Cracking also produces alkenes, which can be used to make plastics (very useful).
Cracking helps an oil refinery match supply of larger fractions with demand for smaller ones.

What are the conditions required for cracking?
Cracking requires a high temperature and a catalyst (aluminium oxide or porcelain chips can be used in the lab).

Why is the amount of fossil fuels being burnt increasing globally?
Fossil fuels are burnt to generate electricity in power stations and for transport (cars, trains, buses, aeroplanes, ships). Increasing global population (especially in China and India) increases demand for these and so more fossil fuels are burnt.

What factors need to be considered when choosing a fuel for a particular purpose?
Energy value, availability, storage, cost, toxicity, pollution produced and the ease of use of a fuel all need to be considered when deciding what fuel should be used for a particular purpose (e.g.heating a home, generating electricity, powering a car).

What are the products of complete combustion of a hydrocarbon?
The products of complete combustion of a hydrocarbon are carbon dioxide and water. Heat is also released during combustion.

What is the difference between complete and incomplete combustion?
Complete combustion takes place when there is a plentiful supply of oxygen and produces carbon dioxide and water.
Incomplete combustion takes place when there is insufficient (or a limited supply of) oxygen. Carbon monoxide (a poisonous gas), carbon (soot) and water are made. Less energy is released during incomplete combustion.

What are word equations for the complete and incomplete combustion of a hydrocarbon e.g.propane?
Complete: Propane + oxygen → Carbon dioxide + water.
Incomplete: Propane + oxygen → Carbon monoxide + carbon (soot) + water

What is the balanced symbol equations for the complete combustion of methane (CH4)?
CH4 + 2O2 → CO2 + 2H2O

What is the balanced symbol equations for the incomplete combustion of ethane (C2H6)?
C2H6 + 2O2 → CO + C + 3H2O

What is the composition of clean air (gases and their %)?
The percentage composition of clean air is 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen , 1% other gases (including water vapour and 0.035% carbon dioxide). These levels stay relatively constant.

How do the processes of photosynthesis, respiration and combustion affect the levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the air?
Photosynthesis removes carbon dioxide from the air and adds oxygen to the air, both respiration (in living things) and combustion (burning of fuels) remove oxygen from and add carbon dioxide to the air.

What effects do deforestation and increasing population have on the composition of the air?
Deforestation (cutting down of forests) reduces the amount of carbon dioxide that can be absorbed from the air and decreases the amount of oxygen produced by photosynthesis. Levels of carbon dioxide in air therefore increase and oxygen levels decrease. Increasing population results in increased combustion of fossil fuels for energy which has the same effect (increasing levels of carbon dioxide and decreasing levels of oxygen).

Describe the main stages in the development of the Earth’s present day atmosphere.
The Earth’s atmosphere evolved over millions of years. Degassing of early volcanoes producing an atmosphere rich in water vapour, ammonia and carbon dioxide. Condensing of water vapour to form oceans. Dissolving of carbon dioxide in ocean waters. Development of photosynthetic organisms leading to an increase in oxygen levels due to photosynthesis. A relative increase of nitrogen due to its lack of reactivity and reactions of ammonia with oxygen.








































