Photo AI
Crude oil contains a mixture of hydrocarbons that boil at different temperatures - OCR Gateway - GCSE Chemistry - Question 18 - 2019 - Paper 2
Question 18
Crude oil contains a mixture of hydrocarbons that boil at different temperatures. Describe how crude oil can be separated using a fractionating column. Crude oil i... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Crude oil contains a mixture of hydrocarbons that boil at different temperatures - OCR Gateway - GCSE Chemistry - Question 18 - 2019 - Paper 2
Step 1
Describe how crude oil can be separated using a fractionating column.
Answer
Crude oil is separated through the process of fractional distillation, which involves several key steps.
Firstly, the heated crude oil is introduced into a fractionating column. The column contains a series of trays or packing which promote the contact between rising vapors and descending liquids.
As the mixture is heated, hydrocarbons with lower boiling points vaporize first and ascend through the column. As they rise, they encounter cooler temperatures, which causes higher boiling hydrocarbons to condense back into a liquid.
This creates a separation based on boiling points: lighter fractions, such as LPG and petrol, are collected at the top of the column, while heavier fractions like diesel and bitumen are drawn off at lower levels.
Each fraction is collected at different heights of the column, where the specific temperature corresponds to their boiling points, allowing for an efficient separation of the various compounds in crude oil.
Step 2
Step 3
Suggest one property of a polymer that makes it suitable for making clothes.
Answer
One key property of polymers that makes them suitable for making clothes is their flexibility. This allows the fabric to stretch and conform to the body, providing comfort and ease of movement. Additionally, many polymers are durable and resistant to wrinkling, which contributes to the longevity of clothing.