What sorts of compounds make up crude oil?
Answers:
All hydrocarbons. They start with gaseous methane (CH4) dissolved in the oily liquid, then through heavier dissolved gases with 2 to 5 carbon atoms per molecule, then liquids with every posible number of carbon atoms per molecule from 6 (benzene) to 8 (octane) to scores and scores, then waxes (the stuff of Vaseline) which have up to hundreds. Sometimes there are sulphur-based impurities.
Refining the oil is the process of separating the different weights of components. Car and aeroplane fuel is roughly from C6 to C10, diesel fuel is heavier, and heating oils and lubricating oils are heaviest.
hydrocarbons
carbon chains...
depending on how long the chain is the result varies, ie, kerosine, oil, gas etc
they seperate these through fractional distilation
Hydrocarbons as everybody else has said, made up as follows-
Fraction B.P (Kelvin) Carbon Atoms per molecule Uses
Gases : Below 313 1-4 Domestic fuel (Bottled gas), motor fuel (LPG)
Light Gasoline : 313-373 5-6 Petrol
Naphtha : 373-433 7-10 Petrol, white spirit
Kerosine : 433-523 11-16 Jet fuel, paraffin
Gas Oil : 523-623 17-25 Diesel, central heating oil, cracked to make petrol and alkenes.*
Residue : Above 623 Above 25 Lubricants, waxes, greases, bitumen for road surfacing, fuel for ships and power stations.
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