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Global Challenges

Fractional distillation of crude oil

  • 2 things to know
  • Paper 4

Overview

What crude oil is and how fractional distillation separates it in a column that is hot at the bottom and cool at the top, the fractions from refinery gases to bitumen and their uses, why larger hydrocarbons have higher boiling points and condense lower down, which forces are overcome on boiling, and why a fraction boils over a range of temperatures.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What is crude oil?

Key term

Name the fractions obtained from crude oil, from the top of the column downwards.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is crude oil?

    Model answer

    A mixture of a very large number of hydrocarbons, most of them alkanes, formed over millions of years from the buried remains of ancient organisms.

  2. 2

    Describe how crude oil is separated by fractional distillation.

    Model answer

    The oil is heated until it vaporises and fed into a tall column that is hot at the bottom and cool at the top; each fraction condenses at the level where the temperature falls below its boiling range and is drawn off there.

  3. 3

    Name the fractions obtained from crude oil, from the top of the column downwards.

    Model answer

    Refinery gases, petrol, kerosene, diesel oil, fuel oil and bitumen.

  4. 4

    Which fraction leaves at the very top of the fractionating column?

    Model answer

    The refinery gases.

  5. 5

    Which fraction is collected at the base of the column, and what is it used for?

    Model answer

    Bitumen, which is used for surfacing roads and roofs.

  6. 6

    What is kerosene used for?

    Model answer

    It is used as fuel for aircraft.

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