At an oil refinery, crude oil is separated into fractions by fractional distillation. The table shows the fractions in order, from the top of the fractionating column to the bottom.
| Fraction | Number of carbon atoms in each molecule |
|---|---|
| gases | 1–4 |
| petrol | 5–10 |
| kerosene | 10–16 |
| diesel oil | 14–20 |
| fuel oil | 20–40 |
| bitumen | more than 40 |
Give the name of the fraction used as a fuel for aircraft.
Give the name of the fraction used to surface roads.
Give one use of fuel oil.
State which fraction has the lowest boiling point.
State how the viscosity of the fractions changes from gases to bitumen.
Explain why crude oil is heated before it enters the fractionating column.
37 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Chemistry 9.1 Fuels, covering 9.1.1 Hydrocarbons and crude oil, 9.1.2 Fractional distillation of crude oil and its fractions, 9.1.3 The alkanes as a homologous series, 9.1.4 Complete and incomplete combustion, 9.1.5 Pollutants from burning fuels, 9.1.6 Hydrogen as a fuel and non-renewable fossil fuels, and 9.1.7 Cracking of larger alkanes. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.