Fractional Distillation Process

This section details the process of fractional distillation and its various products. The process begins with heating crude oil into a gas and separating it in a fractionating column.

Definition: Fractional distillation is a separation technique based on different boiling points of substances.

Highlight: The fractionating column is hottest at the bottom and coolest at the top, allowing different hydrocarbons to condense at different heights.

Example: Bitumen, used for road surfacing, condenses at the bottom, while lighter fuels like butane and propane rise to the top.

Properties of Crude Oil

This page explores crude oil's composition and separation methods. It details how different hydrocarbon sizes affect various properties.

Definition: Crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons that has formed in underground reservoirs over millions of years.

Highlight: Small hydrocarbons have lower boiling points, are more flammable, and produce cleaner flames compared to larger hydrocarbons.

Example: The separation process involves heating the mixture into a gas and allowing it to condense at different heights in the fractionating column.

Hydrocarbon Structure and Properties

The final page examines specific hydrocarbon examples and their properties, focusing on decane and pentane.

Definition: Hydrocarbons are compounds made up of only carbon and hydrogen atoms.

Example: Decane (C₁₀H₂₂) has a higher boiling point than pentane (C₅H₁₂) and produces a 'dirtier' flame.

Highlight: Kerosene typically contains hydrocarbons with 10-16 carbon atoms per molecule and is a mixture, not a pure substance.

Vocabulary: Fractions are mixtures of hydrocarbons with similar boiling points, allowing for some variation in molecular size.