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Fuels and Earth Science

Cracking and why it is necessary

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 4

Overview

What cracking is, saturated alkanes and unsaturated alkenes, the conditions used and a cracking equation, why the supply of and demand for fractions make cracking necessary and profitable, and presenting data in bar charts, histograms and frequency tables.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What is cracking?

Key term

What is meant by a saturated hydrocarbon?

Key term

What is meant by an unsaturated hydrocarbon?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is cracking?

    Model answer

    Cracking is the breaking down of large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller, more useful ones.

  2. 2

    What is meant by a saturated hydrocarbon?

    Model answer

    A saturated hydrocarbon contains only single bonds between its carbon atoms.

  3. 3

    What is meant by an unsaturated hydrocarbon?

    Model answer

    An unsaturated hydrocarbon contains at least one carbon–carbon double bond.

  4. 4

    Name the homologous series of the saturated molecules that are fed into a cracker.

    Model answer

    Large alkane molecules are cracked.

  5. 5

    Name the homologous series of the unsaturated products of cracking.

    Model answer

    The unsaturated products are alkenes.

  6. 6

    Describe the conditions used to crack a hydrocarbon.

    Model answer

    The hydrocarbon is heated until it vaporises and is then passed over a hot catalyst or mixed with steam at a high temperature.

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