CRUDE OIL

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  • Created by: beth
  • Created on: 01-01-13 20:47
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  • CRUDE OIL
    • CRUDE OIL is a mixture of many different COMPOUNDS, which are mostly HYDROCARBON MOLECULES
      • HYDROCARBON MOLECULES are made up of just CARBON and HYDROGEN
    • The different parts of a mixture AREN'T CHEMICALLY BONDED to one another, so keep their ORIGINAL PROPERTIES (i.e. condensing points)
    • CRUDE OIL can be split up into its seperate FRACTIONS by FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION
    • The FRACTIONATING COLUM works CONTINUOSLY, with the HEATED CRUDE OIL piped in at the BOTTOM
    • The VAPORISED crude oil RISES UP the column and the various FRACTIONS are constantly TAPPED OFF at DIFFERENT LEVELS where they CONDESE
    • ALKANES
      • All the fractions of the crude oil are hydrocarbons called ALKANES
        • Alkanes are made up of chains of CARBON atoms surrounded by HYDROGENS atoms
      • Alkanes are SATURATED because their CARBON ATOMS are joined together by SINGLE BONDS (Each straight line shows a COVALENT BOND)
      • The general formula for alkanes is: CnH2n + 2
      • Shorter molecules:         -LESS VISCOUS         -MORE VOLATILE        -MORE FLAMMABLE
    • CRUDE OIL AS A FUEL
      • CRUDE OIL FRACTIONS burn CLEANLY so make good fuels for many MODERN TRANSPORT (e.g. Cars, trains, planes ...)
      • Crude oil provides the RAW MATERIALS for making various CHEMICALS (i.e. Plastics)
      • ALTERNATIVES to crude oil fractions as fuel include NULEAR or WIND power, ETHANOL-powered cars and SOLAR energy to heat water
      • ADVANTAGES
        • Many things are SET UP for using oil fractions
        • Crude oil fractions are often the EASIEST and CHEAPEST thing to use
        • More RELIABLE
      • DISADVANTAGES
        • Its a NON-RENEWABLE fuel
        • Oil spills can POISON BIRDS and SEA CREATURES
        • You have to BURN the oil, which is a major cause of GLOBAL WARMING, ACID RAIN and GLOBAL DIMMING
    • ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
      • Burning FOSSIL FUELS releases GASES and PARTICLES
      • Power stations and cars burn fossil fuels

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