Test: ACT Science

Crude oil contains a variety of hydrocarbons (compounds containing only the element hydrogen and carbon) and the separation of these hydrocarbons produces useful products.  Hydrocarbon separation is usually done by a process called distillation in which the compound is heated.  The gas produced from heating is then condensed to form useful liquids.  Table 1 displays the typical products made from distilling crude oil.

 

Distillation Temperature (°C)

Number of Carbon Atoms

Product

Below 30

1-4

Natural Gas

31-200

5-12

Gasoline

201-250

13-16

Kerosene, Jet fuel

251-350

17-18

Diesel fuel, heating oil

351-450

19-20

Lubricating oil

Table 1- Typical Hydrocarbon Mixtures Obtained by Distillation of Crude Oil

 

 

All names for single bonded hydrocarbons have the root word “ane”.  The prefix in naming is determined by the number of carbons present.  For instance, the prefix for a compound having one carbon is “meth”, so the name would be methane.  Hydrogen is added to the final structure to satisfy the octet rule. Table 2 lists the names of the prefixes.

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4.

Which hydrocarbon is distilled at a temperature of 265 °C?

 

 

Methane

Octadecane

Tetradecane

Octane

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