Uses Of Petroleum

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Part one a) Explain the difference between petrol and petroleum. Petroleum is a crude oil. When extracted from the ground its hydrocarbon molecules (octane etc.) are distilled. The different chai lengths in petroleum have progressively higher boiling points so they can be separated by distillation. Petrol is the end product of this process. Petrol is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as fuel for internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds. b) Describe the use of each of these fuel types in society today, under the following headings. Specific uses Petroleum – Alkenes - Alkenes are manufactured into plastics and other compounds. Plastics are used in cars, houses, computers, toys and clothing fibres. Fuels- When distilled it is used for petrol, kerosene, and butane, all of which are fuels. Lubricants – Produces light machine oils, motor oils and greases. Natural gas - Heating. Water heaters, pools, spas, furnaces. Cooking- barbeques, and stoves. Clothes dryers and lighting. Coal - Generation of electricity, liquid fuels, steel manufacturing. Environmental Impact Petroleum Toxicity: mixtures of many different kinds of organic compounds, many of which are toxic and carcinogenic, lethal to fish and can cause birth defects. Exhaust: when burned, usually combustion is incomplete. Incompletely burned compounds are created and are often toxic to life EG carbon monoxide and methanol Acid rain: cause nitrogen gas in the air to oxidize. Acid rain causes problems such as dead trees and acidified lakes. Natural Gas Emissions: From combustion, main products being CO and water vapour, whilst also releasing small amounts of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect. Smog, Air quality, Acid rain: can emit low levels of nitrogen oxides. Coal Air

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