Fractional Distillation
::Refines crude oil
::hydrocarbons with different boiling points are separated by fractional distillation
::separates hydrocarbons

2. Why do humans recover oil and coal (fossil fuels)?
serves as a large source of energy

3.1. What are the original sources of oil and coal?
organic matter that has been heated and compressed over millions of years

3.2. Discuss the non-renewable nature of these sources.
There is a finite amount of fossil fuels available.
It would take many millions of years for new fossil fuels to be available.

4. What are the locations of the major mining activities in South Africa?
Mpumalanga, Witbank and Middleburb
Northern Free State
Northern KwaZulu Natal

5. What is the source of South Africa’s crude oil?
imported from the Middle East and Africa-Nigeria

6. Discuss the major steps in the process
6.1. open pit and underground mining of coal
see previous

6.2. oils and natural gas from oil wells
Crude oil is pumped from oil wells and oil rigs (in the ocean)
Animals and plants contain chemical energy that came from the Sun.
Their remains were covered by mud and sand.
Then heat and pressure turned it into crude oil over many millions of years.
It is found under the sea or under land that was covered by the sea.

Natural gas is also found beneath the Earth’s surface. It forms a cap at the top of the oil.

6.3. fractional distillation of natural petroleum mixtures for different purposes
As crude is heated in a fractionating column, different compounds are separated.
(brackets show temperatures in degrees celcius)
:: gas (-160 to 20)
:: petrol (20 to 70)
:: naphta (70 to 120)
:: kerosene (120 to 240)
:: diesel oil / lubricating oil (240 to 350)
:: fuel oil
:: paraffin waxes
:: bitumen

6.4. systematic naming of alkanes, alkenes and alkynes
:: as discussed

6.5. cracking
Long chain organic molecules are broken down to shorter chain molecules using a catalyst and heat.
This increases the proportion of molecules most needed (liquid fuels)

6.6. octane rating
This relates to motor car engines and fuel.
Fuel can spontaneously explode if compressed too much.
The octane rating of a fuel indicates how much the fuel-air mixture in the engine cylinder can be compressed before it spontaneously ignites.
When gas ignites by compression rather than because of the spark from the spark plug, it causes knocking in the engine.
An explosion by such a compression is uncontrolled and can damage a cars engine.

Petrol's octane rating is a measurement of the fuel's ability to resist engine knocking.
(like "regular" 87-octane fuel) can handle the least amount of compression before igniting.

An octane rating is often referred to as an 'anti-knock index'.
If fuel has a high octane number, it will have a higher resistance to engine knocking.
This means that it is unlikely to ignite easily as a result of compression.

So fuels classified as 98-octane fuel will not easily be subjected to knocking.
(will not ignite easily by compression)

A fuel with a high octane rating has a high activation energy.
The higher the octane rating, the more staable the fuels is (with regard to ignition compression.)