Cracking Flashcards
(5 cards)
1
Q
what is cracking?
A
splitting long chain hydrocarbons
long alkane -> shorter alkane + alkene
2
Q
why do we do cracking?
A
crude oil contains more longer alkanes than shorter ones, but the shorter ones are much more useful - cracking breaks down longer alkanes into smaller, more useful ones
3
Q
what are properties of long hydrocarbons?
A
- high boiling points
- viscous
4
Q
what are properties of shorter hydrocarbons?
A
- lower boiling points
- much thinner and paler in colour
5
Q
conditions for cracking
A
temperature: 650 degrees C
catalyst: aluminium oxide (Al2O3)
