Question

The various components of crude oil are separated by the process of _______

Answer 1

Fractional distillation:-

• It is a process that is used to separate a mixture into its components by heating the mixture.
• The mixture must be heated to a temperature at which vaporization of one or more components of the mixture occurs.

• Crude oil is a mixture of substances that are made of hydrocarbons having different boiling points.
• As the molecular weight of hydrocarbons increases, the boiling point also increases.
• By using the process of fractional distillation we can separate crude oil into its components having different boiling points.
• The various components of crude oil are gasoline, diesel, and kerosene which are a mixture of hydrocarbons.
• Crude oil is heated and the vapor obtained is passed through a fractionating column. The temperature is high at bottom of the column and low at the top.
• Long-chain hydrocarbons that have a high boiling point condense at the bottom of the column whereas small chain hydrocarbons with low boiling point condense at the top where the temperature is low.
• In this way we separate various components of crude oil.
  

(Diagram of a fractionating column showing separation of crude oil into its components)

Thus the various components of crude oil are separated by the process of fractional distillation.