Crude Oil and Alkanes
Crude oil is a fossil fuel formed from the remains of ancient sea creatures over millions of years. It's a non-renewable resource that won't last forever, making it quite valuable.
The oil is actually a complex mixture containing hundreds of different compounds, but most of them are hydrocarbons called alkanes. These molecules are "saturated," meaning they have only single bonds between carbon atoms and can't fit any more hydrogen atoms.
All alkanes follow the same pattern with the general formula C₍ₙ₎H₍₂ₙ₊₂₎. The simplest ones you need to know are methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), and butane (C₄H₁₀).
Key Point: The longer the alkane chain, the higher its boiling point - this fact is essential for understanding how we separate crude oil!
