Oil Flashcards
1
Q
What is crude oil?
A
Crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons of different lengths.
2
Q
What is the process of separating crude oil in different fractions called?
A
Fractional distillation.
3
Q
What is the formation of crude oil?
A
- Marine animals and plants die and are buried under layers of sedimentary rock (300 million years ago).
- Immense heat and pressure decomposes the organic material over millions of years (100 million years ago)
- We drill through the rock and sediment to discover viable petroleum accumulations (today).
4
Q
What are the two elements every living thing contains?
A
Hydrogen and carbon.
5
Q
What do living things form when they decompose?
A
Hydrocarbons.
6
Q
How can crude oil be separated into different fractions?
A
The change of temperature. The higher the heat, the longer the chain. The lower the heat, the shorter the chain.
7
Q
Are hydrocarbons useful?
A
Only some hydrocarbons are useful.
8
Q
Name three hydrocarbons
A
- Methane
- Ethane
- Propane
