What are the problems of transporting crude oil?
When oil is spilt it has to be cleaned up using detergents that damage the wildlife.
When oil is spilt it can cause birds to get hyperthermia as there feathers stick together and they are exposed to the air.
It slows down the vehicle.
People who clear up oil spills are exposed to the smell and when inhaled it can cause cancer.
When spilt it releases a toxic gas into the atmosphere.
What is cracking?
A process used to separate a mixture of liquids that have different boiling points.
The process of breaking large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller more useful hydrocarbons.
The larger the hydrocarbon molecule the lower its boiling point.
What are the advantages of oil?
Provides fuel for vehicles.
Useful for heating.
It is polluting and contributes to global warming.
It is a non-renewable source of energy.
It is a big industry that employs many people around the world.
It can cause cancer.
What is a consequence of the UK being dependant on oil and gas from politically unstable countries?
Oil producing nations are not keen to sell to non-oil producing nations.
Oil producing nations set high prices because it is a finite resource.
What fraction is found at the coldest part of a fractional distillation column?
Petrol
Diesel
Heating Oil
LPG
Fuel Oil
Bitumen
Fractional distillation works because the hydrocarbons in different fractions have differently sized molecules.
As fractions boil, those with very high boiling points eg. bitumen, rise and exit at the top of the column.