Cracking helps an oil refinery match its supply of
useful products, such as petrol with the demand for
them
Cracking converts large alkane molecules into smaller
alkane and alkene molecules
Fossil fuels are finite resources
because they are no longer being
made or are being made
extremely slowly
They are non renewable resources as they are being
used up faster than they are being formed
Crude oil can be separated by fractional distillation. It is heated near
the bottom of a fractionating column. Fractions with low boiling points
exit at the top. Fractions with high boiling points exit at the bottom
There is a temperature
gradient between the top and
bottom of the column
Hydrocarbons with bigger molecules have
stronger intermolecular forces between their
molecules, and therefore have higher boiling
points than hydrocarbons with smaller
molecules
Fuels and Clean Air
Photosynthesis, respiration and combustion are processes in the carbon cycle
The original atmosphere came from the degassing of early volcanoes which
were rich in water and carbon dioxide. the water condensed to form oceans.
Photosynthetic organisms helped to increase the levels of oxygen through
photosynthesis
The present day atmosphere
contains 21% oxygen, 78%
nitrogen and 0.035% carbon
dioxide
Key factors that need to be considered when choosing a fuel
are energy value, availability, storage, toxicity, pollution
caused and ease of use
If hydrocarbons burn in a plentiful supply of air, carbon dioxide and
water are made. In an experiment, carbon dioxide can be tested for
with limewater; if there is carbon dioxide present, the limewater
turns milky
Polymers
A hydrocarbon is a compound
of carbon atoms and hydrogen
atoms only
Alkanes are hydrocarbons which contain
single covalent bonds only.
Alkenes are
hydrocarbons which
contain a double
covalent bond between
carbon atoms
plastics that have weak intermolecular
forces between the polymer molecules
can be stretched as the polymer
molecules can slide over one another
Rigid plastics
have cross-linking
bridges
Addition polymers are made
when alkane monomer molecules
react together under high
pressure and with a catalyst
Nylon and GORE-TEX are polymers with
suitable properties for different uses.
Nylon is tough, lightweight
and keeps water and UV light
out
GORE-TEX has all of these properties but
allows water vapour to pass out so that
sweat does not condense
Food and smells
Protein molecules in eggs and meat
denature when they are cooked
The change shape of a protein molecule is permanent
Emulsifiers are molecules with a water loving
(hydrophilc) part and an oil loving (hydrophobic) part.
The hydrophilic end bonds
to water molecules
the hydrophobic end bonds to oil molecules
keeping the oil and water from sepatating
Perfumes need to be able to evaporate so that they can easily
reach the nose
To evaporate, particles need sufficient kinetic energy to
overcome their attraction to other molecules in the liquid