Oil and Products from Oil
This list of resources covers oil as a resource and the purification of oil by fractional distillation and cracking.
Students need to appreciate that crude oil is a very complex mixture of thousands of different substances, mainly hydrocarbons, and is of little use as crude oil itself. Students need to understand how fractional distillation is carried out in industry and the types of fractions produced and their uses. They also need to appreciate the relationship between molecular mass and physical properties such as boiling point, viscosity, flammability and colour.
Combustion of hydrocarbon based fuels is often included in this section of the syllabus and there are obvious links to be made here with atmospheric science and pollution due to the combustion of fossil fuels.
Whilst this list provides a source of information and ideas for experimental work, it is important to note that recommendations can date very quickly. Do NOT follow suggestions which conflict with current advice from CLEAPSS, SSERC or other recent safety guides. eLibrary users are responsible for ensuring that any activity, including practical work, which they carry out is consistent with current regulations related to Health and Safety and that they carry an appropriate risk assessment. Further information is provided in our Health and Safety guidance
Chemistry in a Cage
This is an article from the November 2009 issue of Catalyst and looks at zeolites as catalysts (no connection with the journal title). These aluminosilicate materials are used in catalytic cracking and the article looks at their structure, mechanism of action and applications, including their use in the cracking of hydrocarbon fractions. This might be used as interesting extension and enrichment material perhaps as an information sheet for project work.
Making Use of Oil *suitable for home teaching*
This comprehensive guide covers crude oil. fractional distillation and cracking. Although it is dated, there is a lot of good, accessible information and activities that can be taken and repurposed. Each chapter contains a planner, teacher notes and student sheets.
Fractional Distillation *suitable for home teaching*
This is an accessible worksheet. Students label a fractional distillation column and answer questions of the properties of the various fractions. It would make an ideal homework task.
Fractional Distillation *suitable for home teaching*
This short video looks at the fractional distillation of crude oil and the uses of the fractions collected. There is also a transcript of the film and some useful stills from it.
Crude Oil Gridlocks
A sudoku type activity in which students have to use their problem solving skills to fill a grid with information about crude oil and fractional distillation. There are several puzzles of increasing complexity.
Fractional Distillation of Synthetic Crude Oil
This website gives comprehensive instructions on how to carry out a demonstration of the fractional distillation of crude oil. The instructions contain teacher and technician notes.
Oil Refining
This is a very detailed video looking at all aspects of oil refining including distillation and cracking. The video is supported by a series of student worksheets and some useful images that could be used in teaching this topic.
Cracking Practical
This is a demonstration of cracking. Liquid paraffin is heated and passed over a catalyst where it is split into a different hydrocarbons. Students can then test these for unsaturation with bromine water. The instructions include technician notes.
Oil, Alkanes and Cracking *suitable for home teaching*
This resource includes a link to a video about hydrocarbons and cracking. There are also student handouts of the different alkanes by chain length and the structural formula of ethene.