Saturday, December 9, 2023

Reactions in the homologous

series
40
Starter 35
1. What is the problem the graph 30

is talking about? 25
% in crude oil
20
2. How can the problem be 15
Demand

solved? 10
5
3. Are there any technical 0
problems with the graph? 1 4 8 12 16 20 >24
Methane gas Length of carbon chain Long chains – found in
the residue fraction
Lesson Objectives
Cracking is a process that splits long chain alkanes into
shorter chain alkanes and alkenes.

C10H22 → C7H16 + C3H6

Q: Why is this useful?
Cracking is useful because the long chain alkanes can be

turned into more useful short chain alkanes.

Short chain alkanes can be used for fuels.

The alkenes that are produced can be used to make polymers

(plastics).
 Decane

Octane Ethene
Or

C10H22 C8H18 + C2H4

 Decane Task: Copy the
following equation into
your exercise book but
use molecular formulae
instead.

Heptane Propene
C10H22 C7H16 + C3H6
 Decane

Hexane Butene
C10H22 C7H16 + C3H6
Questions:

Complete the following equations:

a. C10H22 (decane) → …………….. + C3H6
b. C12H26 (dodecane) → C2H4 + ……………
c. C20H42 (eicosane)→ C6H14 + 2……………

Using the textbook – find out what the conditions are.

Answers:

2. Complete the following equations:

a. C10H22 → C7H16 + C3H6
b. C12H26→ C2H4 + C10H22
c. C20H42 → C6H14 + 2 C7H14

High temperature and a porcelain/ aluminium

oxide catalyst.
Activity 1
Complete the workshet “Cracking hydrocarbons”.
Peer-marking
1. Swap your book with the person next to you.
2. Read the answers and mark according to the mark-
scheme.
3. Write a good comment, like this:
1. “WWW”: You know to explain cracking!”
2. “EBI”: In a question that says explain, use the word
‘because’.

(WWW – What Went Well)

(EBI) - Even Better If you do…
Reaction 1:
Test for unsaturation (bromine water)
Reaction 2:
Hydrogenation (in the presence of a nickel catalyst)
• temperature of approximately 200 °C
• in the presence of a nickel catalyst
Reaction 3:
With steam
• ethene is heated to 300 °C
• in the presence of steam and phosphoric acid,
• which acts as a catalyst, to produce ethanol.
Activity 2
Complete the workshet “Burning hydrocarbons”.

Don’t do questions 3 or 5, because you haven’t learned about that yet.

Model Answer

o f l a r g e r ,
d o w n
Breaking r o c a r b o n
a t e d h y d
satur a n es ( 1 ) i nt o
l e c u l e s / a l k es
m o s e f u l a lk a n
l l er , m o r e u
sm a
k e n e s (1 )
a nd a l

C2H6