Alkanes obtained from crude oil are modified by cracking to meet the demand for shorter-chain hydrocarbons. A chemical engineer evaluates four different industrial cracking designs for processing a fraction containing decane (C10H22C_{10}H_{22}C10H22).
Which row in the table correctly identifies the cracking type, catalyst, reaction conditions, and primary products?
| Row | Cracking Type | Catalyst | Operating Conditions | Major Product Slate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Thermal | None | 500 ∘C500\text{ }^\circ\text{C}500 ∘C, atmospheric pressure | High yield of branched alkanes and aromatics |
| B | Catalytic | Zeolite | 450 ∘C450\text{ }^\circ\text{C}450 ∘C, slight pressure | High yield of branched alkanes, cycloalkanes, and aromatics |
| C | Thermal | Zeolite | 900 ∘C900\text{ }^\circ\text{C}900 ∘C, high pressure | High yield of gaseous alkenes such as ethene |
| D | Catalytic | None | 450 ∘C450\text{ }^\circ\text{C}450 ∘C, high pressure | High yield of straight-chain alkanes and alkenes |
Row A
Row B
Row C
Row D
9 exam-style questions on AQA A Level Chemistry Alkanes, covering Fractional distillation of crude oil, Modification of alkanes by cracking, Combustion of alkanes, and Chlorination of alkanes. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.