2.5.11

Crude Oil

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Crude Oil

Crude oil is a non-renewable (finite) resource.

Illustrative background for Fossilised planktonIllustrative background for Fossilised plankton ?? "content

Fossilised plankton

  • Crude oil is made from the fossilised remnants of ancient plankton.
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Found in rocks

  • Crude oil is found in rocks and is used to produce fuels and other important chemicals.
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Mixture of compounds

  • Crude oil is a mixture of lots of different compounds that are not chemically combined.
  • Most of the compounds in crude oil are hydrocarbons.
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Most compounds are hydrocarbons

  • Hydrocarbons are molecules made up of only hydrogen and carbon atoms.
  • Hydrocarbons differ in their size, which can change the properties of the hydrocarbon.
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Alkanes

  • Most of the hydrocarbons in crude oil are alkanes.
    • In alkanes, carbon atoms bond to four atoms (hydrogen or carbon).
    • Alkanes have quite low reactivity, but they combust quite well. This makes them useful as fuels.

Jump to other topics

1Biology

1.1Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2Reproduction & Variation

1.3Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4Digestion & Nutrition

1.5Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6Biological Systems & Processes

2Chemistry

2.1Particles

2.2Chemical Reactions

2.3Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4The Periodic Table

2.5Materials & the Earth

2.6Reactivity

2.7Energetics

2.8Properties of Materials

3Physics

3.1Energy

3.2Forces & Motion

3.3Waves

3.4Electricity & Magnetism

3.5Matter

3.6Space Physics

4Thinking Scientifically

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