Hydrocarbon Fuels and Cracking
Different fractions from crude oil become fuels for different purposes - LPG for camping stoves, petrol for cars, diesel for lorries, kerosene for aircraft, and heavy fuel oil for ships. Each fraction has properties perfectly suited to its use.
Combustion of hydrocarbons releases energy that powers our world. Complete combustion produces carbon dioxide and water, but incomplete combustion also creates dangerous carbon monoxide. The equation is simple: hydrocarbon + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water.
Cracking breaks down long, less useful hydrocarbon chains into shorter, more valuable ones. This thermal decomposition reaction uses high temperatures and catalysts (like aluminium oxide) to split large molecules. The products include both alkanes and alkenes, giving us more useful fuels and chemicals.
Industrial Importance: Cracking helps match supply with demand - we need more petrol than crude oil naturally provides!