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Petrol is a mixture of hydrocarbon molecules varying in size from six to ten carbon atoms - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 19 - 2011 - Paper 1
Question 19
Petrol is a mixture of hydrocarbon molecules varying in size from six to ten carbon atoms. Forensic investigators suspect that traces of a substance found at a suspi... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Petrol is a mixture of hydrocarbon molecules varying in size from six to ten carbon atoms - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 19 - 2011 - Paper 1
Step 1
Identify the appropriate technique for identification
Answer
The best technique to identify a mixture of hydrocarbons, such as petrol, is (D) gas chromatography followed by mass spectroscopy.
This method allows for the separation of different components in a mixture and provides a detailed analysis of each component's mass and structure. Gas chromatography separates the hydrocarbons based on their volatility, while mass spectroscopy can identify the specific masses of the separated compounds, thus allowing for the identification of the components present in the sample.