3.3.2 - Alkanes

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Total cards: 24•Content version: v4•Public deck•Updated: 8/1/2026

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Front (Question)

What is an alkane?

Back (Answer)

A saturated hydrocarbon containing only C-H and C-C bonds

Front (Question)

What is the general formula of an alkane?

Back (Answer)

C(n)H(2n+2)

Front (Question)

Are alkanes bonds polar or nonpolar and why?

Back (Answer)

nonpolar: the electronegativities of hydrogen and carbon are so similar.

Front (Question)

Which intermolecular forces do alkanes have and why?

Back (Answer)

The only intermolecular forces between the molecules are weak Van der Waals forces as the bonds are nonpolar, these forces get stronger the larger the molecule.

Front (Question)

Are alkanes soluble or insoluble in water and why?

Back (Answer)

insoluble as the hydrogen bonds that hold the water molecules together are much stronger than van der Waals forces.

Front (Question)

Are alkanes reactive?

Back (Answer)

alkanes are relatively unreactive because of their strong C-C and C-H bonds. They will burn, and react with halogens, under suitable conditions.

Front (Question)

Which reactions will alkanes undergo?

Back (Answer)

Combustion and reaction with halogens

Front (Question)

What is crude oil?

Back (Answer)

a mixture of hydrocarbons with similar boiling points and properties. Crude oil is a mixture of branched and unbranched alkanes of varying sizes.

Front (Question)

How is crude oil formed?

Back (Answer)

formed by the breakdown of animal and plant remains at high pressures and temperatures over millions of years

#10

Front (Question)

Is crude oil renewable or non renewable?

Back (Answer)

non-renewable as the process to form it takes a very long time.

#11

Front (Question)

Name the fractions of crude oil from high to low boiling point

Back (Answer)

HIGH BOILING POINT tar/bitumen fuel oil lubricating oil and waxes diesel oil kerosene/paraffin gasoline/petrol (naphtha) gases LOW BOILING POINT

#12

Front (Question)

tar/bitumen

Back (Answer)

c70-upwards roads and roofing

#13

Front (Question)

fuel oil

Back (Answer)

c35-c70 ships, power stations

#14

Front (Question)

lubricating oil and waxes

Back (Answer)

c19-c35 candles and engine oil

#15

Front (Question)

diesel oil

Back (Answer)

c15-c18 lorries and taxis

#16

Front (Question)

kerosene/paraffin

Back (Answer)

c12-c16 jet fuel, lighting

#17

Front (Question)

gasoline/petrol (naphtha)

Back (Answer)

c4-c12 cars

#18

Front (Question)

gases

Back (Answer)

c1-c3 fuel on site

#19

Front (Question)

how does fractional distillation work?

Back (Answer)

• crude oil heated until mostly vaporised • passed into a fractionating column that is cooler at the top than at the bottom • vapours rise up the column and via trays and bubble caps, condense when temperature < their boiling point • shortest chain hydrocarbons condense at the top as they have the lowest boiling points

#20

Front (Question)

Trends in fractionating column

Back (Answer)

• viscosity decreases as you go up • chain length decreases as you go up • flammability increases as you go up • boiling point range decreases as you go up

#21

Front (Question)

What is cracking?

Back (Answer)

process of splitting the long chain hydrocarbons from crude oil into shorter chain hydrocarbons (by breaking C-C bonds) that are more in demand, and so more valuable.

#22

Front (Question)

What does cracking also create?

Back (Answer)

alkenes, which are useful in industry as feedstock for making substances like plastics.

#23

Front (Question)

what are the two types of cracking?

Back (Answer)

thermal cracking catalytic cracking

#24

Front (Question)

Thermal cracking conditions

Back (Answer)

• temperature of 700-1200K • up to 7000 kPa pressure