Chemistry - Key Stage 4

Organic Chemistry

Cracking

Miss Mason
 Short vs long-chain hydrocarbons

What is cracking?

Types of cracking

The bromine test

Outcome: describe the process of cracking and

how to distinguish between alkanes and
alkenes
2
Recap
1. What is the name of the process we use to separate out the different hydrocarbons from a crude oil mixture?

2. What piece of equipment/machinery is needed for the above process?

3. Describe the temperature gradient within the above piece of equipment/machinery.

At the bottom of the f___________ c______, there is a very _____ temperature. As you move up the column, the
temperature gets _______. The temperature at the bottom is approximately ____°C whilst the temperature at the top
is around ____°C.

4. Identify 5 of the fractions from the process and what they can be used for.
P______ →
N________ →
K________ →
D______ →
B________ →

3
1. What is the name of the process we use to separate out the different hydrocarbons from a crude oil mixture?
Fractional distillation

2. What piece of equipment/machinery is needed for the above process?

Fractionating column

3. Describe the temperature gradient within the above piece of equipment/machinery.

At the bottom of the fractionating column, there is a very high temperature. As you move up the column, the
temperature gets cooler/lower. The temperature at the bottom is approximately 350°C whilst the temperature at the
top is around 20°C.

4. Identify 5 of the fractions from the process and what they can be used for.
Petrol → used as a fuel for cars
Naphtha → used in the manufacture of chemicals
Kerosene → used as a fuel for aircrafts
Diesel → used as a fuel for vans, lorries and cars
Bitumen → used for laying roads

4
Reminder!
Small molecules Gas
<20°C
Lower temperature
Petrol
● High demand 20-70°C

● Low yield Naphtha

70-160°C

Kerosene
160-250°C
● Low demand
Diesel
250-350°C ● High yield
Bitumen
Large molecules
>350°C
Heated crude oil High temperature
Image source: Miss Mason
400°C

5
 Short-chain hydrocarbons: Long-chain hydrocarbons:
● More volatile ● Less volatile
● Easy to ignite ● Harder to ignite
● More useful as fuels ● Less useful as fuels

6
Knowledge check
In a fractionating column, short-chain hydrocarbons collect near the ____
because…

Long-chain hydrocarbons collect near the __________ because…

There is a higher demand for short-chain hydrocarbons because…

There is a lower demand for long-chain hydrocarbons because...

In a fractionating column, short-chain hydrocarbons collect near the top because this is where
the temperature is the lowest and short-chain hydrocarbons have a low boiling point.

Long-chain hydrocarbons collect near the bottom because this is where the temperature is the
lowest and long-chain hydrocarbons have a high boiling point.

There is a higher demand for short-chain hydrocarbons because they are more volatile which
means they are easier to ignite and more useful as fuels.

There is a lower demand for long-chain hydrocarbons because they are less volatile which
means they are harder to ignite and less useful as fuels.
Cracking
Taking long-chain hydrocarbons molecules and ‘cracking’ them
into smaller, more useful molecules.

Alkane Alkane Alkene

[Wikimedia Commons] - [Ethan Lewis] - [Wikimedia Commons] - Ethene-2D-flat

[Wikipedia] - Aliphatic compound Ethane-2D-flat

9
Cracking
Taking long-chain hydrocarbons molecules and ‘cracking’ them
into smaller, more useful molecules.

E.g. ethane E.g. ethene

Alkane Alkane Alkene

(Long-chain) (Short-chain) (Short-chain)
● Can contain double
bonds (unsaturated)

● Used in the manufacture

of plastics/production of
polymers

10
Copy and complete

Cracking involves taking l____-c______ h____________ and

‘cracking’ them into s________, more u_______ molecules.

An long-chain a________ is broken down into a shorter-chain a_______

and a______.

Alkenes can contain d______ b_____ and can be described as being

u__________. They can be used in the manufacture of p_______.
Copy and complete

Cracking involves taking long-chain hydrocarbons and ‘cracking’ them

into smaller, more useful molecules.

A long-chain alkane is broken down into a shorter-chain alkane and

alkene.

Alkenes can contain double bonds and can be described as being

unsaturated. They can be used in the manufacture of plastics.

12
Alkane or Alkene?

Propene

Alkene
Alkane or Alkene?

[Wikimedia Commons] - Ethene-2D-flat

Alkene
Alkane or Alkene?

[Wikipedia] - Aliphatic compound

Alkane
Alkane or Alkene?

Butane

Alkane
 Alkane Alkane Alkene
Breakdown:

C12H26 C8H18 C4H8

OR

C12H26 C10H22 C2H4

OR
C12H26 C4H8 C5H12 C3H6

17
Example

C14H30 → C7H? + C?H16

30-16 = 14 14-7 = 7

CnH2n
C14H30 → C7H14+ C7H16

18
Examples
1.C6H14 → C3H? + C?H8

Challenge: identify the alkenes

in each equation.
2.C10H22 → C3H7 + C4H? + C?H7

3.C20H42 → C10H22 + C?H?

19
Check your answers

1.C6H14 → C3H6 + C3H8

2.C10H22 → C3H7 + C4H8 + C3H7

3.C20H42 → C10H22 + C10H20

20
Balancing equations

2 2
Mg + O2 → MgO

21
Balance these equations

1.C₁₆H₃₄ → C₄H₈ + C₈H₁₈

2.C₄₀H₈₂ → C₁₀H₂₂ + C₂H₄ + C₂₆H₅₂

22
Balance these equations

1.C₁₆H₃₄ → 2C₄H₈ + C₈H₁₈

2.C₄₀H₈₂ → C₁₀H₂₂ + 2C₂H₄ + C₂₆H₅₂

23
 Pause the video to complete your task
Explain how modern life depends on the use of hydrocarbons.

Keywords: alkanes, alkenes, plastics, polymers, fuel.

Modern life depends on alkenes because…

Modern life depends on alkanes because...

Resume once you’re finished

 Explain how modern life depends on the use of hydrocarbons.

Modern life depends on alkenes because…

Alkenes are used in the manufacture of plastics/polymers which are used in
abundance in everyday life.

Modern life depends on alkanes because...

Alkanes are used as fuels such as petrol and diesel which are used to power
cars, vans and lorries, all of which are crucial for transportation and
distribution in the modern day.

25
Catalysts (topic link!)
A substance that is used to speed up a chemical reaction but is not used up in the reaction
itself.

Why is this relevant to cracking?

● Speeds up process
● High yield of short chain hydrocarbons

● Increased income

● More economical

26
Types of cracking (Most common in industry)

Thermal cracking Catalytic cracking

● High temperature (up to 750°C) ● Low temperature (500°C) and pressure

● High pressure (70 atm)
● Uses a catalyst

27
Types of cracking
The two types of cracking are…

In t______ cracking, the alkanes are subject to…

In c________ cracking, the alkanes are subject to...

Types of cracking
The two types of cracking are thermal cracking and catalytic cracking.

In thermal cracking, the alkanes are subject to high temperatures

(750°C) and high pressures (70 atm).

In catalytic cracking, the alkanes are subject to lower temperature

(500°C) and pressure and they are passed over a catalyst.

29
Which type of cracking is more
economical and why?
Catalytic cracking because it uses lower temperatures and
pressures (which reduces energy consumption) and the use of a
catalyst speeds up the cracking process, produces a higher yield of
short-chain hydrocarbons and increases income.
Alkanes vs Alkenes

The bromine test

● Alkanes do not react with the bromine in the water so the

solution stays orange.

● Alkenes DO react with the bromine in the water so the

solution turns colourless.
[Wikimedia Commons] - [Madowiki] - Brominewater

Example:
Ethene + bromine water = Colourless
Ethane + bromine water = Orange

31
Pause the video to complete your task
1. Describe what would happen to bromine water if propane was added to it
and explain the reasons for this.

2. Describe what would happen to bromine water if butene was added to it

and explain the reasons for this.

Resume once you’re finished

1. Describe what would happen to bromine water if propane was added to it and explain the
reasons for this.
The bromine water would stay orange in colour because propane is an alkane and alkanes
do not react with the bromine in the water.

2. Describe what would happen to bromine water if butene was added to it and explain the
reasons for this.

The bromine water would turn colourless because butene is an alkene and alkenes react
with the bromine in the water.

33
Now complete the exit quiz