Crude Oil Hydrocarbons

Question 1

Crude oil is a … and what does or mean?

Answer 1

Finite resource… means that it will end one day in the future.

Question 2

What is the formula for an alkane?

Answer 2

CnH^2n+2

Question 3

What is the formula for an alkene?

Answer 3

CnH^2n

Question 4

What happens to bromine water if an alkene is added?

Answer 4

It changes from orange to colourless.

Question 5

What method could be used to crack a long chain hydrocarbon?

Answer 5

Mix the hydrocarbon vapour with steam and heat it to a very high temperature.

Question 6

What technique is used to separate the components of crude oil?

Answer 6

Cracking

Question 7

What happens to a carbon and a hydrogen when they are burned?

Answer 7

They are oxidised.

Question 8

What is the complete symbol equation for the combustion of propane, C^3H^4?

Answer 8

C^3H^8 + 5O^2 –> 3CO^2 + 4H^2O

Question 9

If an alkane has a higher amount of carbons and hydrogens than another (e.g. C^10H^22 vs C^5H^12), why does it have a higher boiling point?

Answer 9

It has a longer chain so more energy is needed to break it.

Question 10

How does a fractionating column work?

Answer 10

It gets colder as you go up so as the different hydrocarbons (with hydrocarbons with different boiling points) enter as vapour, the ones with the highest boiling point condense first and fall whilst the others carry on as vapour. This continuous until they are all separated.