Fractional Distillation
Chemistry: AQA GCSE Higher, topic 7.1.5
Fractional Distillation
Fractional distillation is the process of separating crude oil into groups of hydrocarbons with similar numbers of carbon atoms. We call these groups of hydrocarbons “fractions”.
Long-chain hydrocarbons
- Hydrocarbons with lots of carbon atoms are called ‘long-chain hydrocarbons’.
Short-chain hydrocarbons
- Hydrocarbons with few carbon atoms are called 'short-chain hydrocarbons'.
Test yourself on Fractional Distillation
Two hydrocarbon molecules have very different numbers of carbon atoms. Would fractional distillation place these molecules in the same fraction or in different fractions?
A fraction of crude oil contains hydrocarbon molecules with a very large number of carbon atoms. What type of hydrocarbons does this fraction contain?
What do we call the process of separating crude oil into fractions?
Which statement about fractional distillation is correct?
A hydrocarbon molecule contains 40 carbon atoms. Which type of hydrocarbons would fractional distillation group it with?