Fuels from crude oil

Question 1

Fractional Distillation

Answer 1

Done at refineries in a fractioning column, a tall tower hot at the bottom and cooling as it goes up so different liquid collected at different levels in the tower.

Question 2

Burning Fuels

Answer 2

Hydrocarbons are oxidised to carbon dioxide and water when they are burnt. However if not completely burnt the contain carbon monoxide and soot, so fossil fuels may contain sulphur dioxide which produces acid rain.

Question 3

Cleaner Fuels

Answer 3

To make fuels cleaner we can remove sulphur at power stations fit catalytic converters on car exhausts and use filters to help control acid rain

Question 4

Alternative Fuels

Answer 4

Biofuels - from plants and animals.
Biodiesel - from vegetable oil.

Advantages:
Do not contribute to carbon dioxide levels.
Ethanol made from sugar is easily stored

Disadvantages:
Need a lot of farm land
Hydrogen gas is hard to store

Question 5

Fuels from crude oil summary

Answer 5

Crude oil is a mixture of different compounds that boil at different temperatures, so needs to be separated to make useful fuels (this is called distillation) and liquids called fractions.