crude oil, hydrocarbons and alkanes

Question 1

what is crude oil?

Answer 1

Crude oil is the remains of ancient biomass consisting mainly of plankton that was once buried in mud; it is a finite resource found in rocks.

Question 2

crude oil is a mixture of ___?

Answer 2

crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbon compounds

Question 3

what are hydrocarbon compounds and what are they made of?

Answer 3

hydrocarbon compounds are molecules made of carbon and hydrogen atoms

Question 4

what are the hydrocarbons in crude oil?

Answer 4

most of them are alkanes

Question 5

what type of series are alkanes?

Answer 5

a homologous series

Question 6

what is the formula for alkanes and its series

Answer 6

CnH2n+2

Question 7

are alkane molecules saturated or unsaturated?

Answer 7

saturated

Question 8

what is the bonding like between the carbon atoms in alkanes

Answer 8

single bonds between the carbon atoms

Question 9

what are the first 4 members the alkane series?

Answer 9

methane, ethane, propane, butane

Question 10

what does the combustion of hydrocarbon release and produce?

Answer 10

releases energy and produces carbon dioxide and water as the carbon and hydrogen atoms in the molecules are oxidised.

Question 11

what happens to hydrocarbon molecules as they get larger?

Answer 11

they become more viscous, less flammable and have higher boiling points