How do you untangle the hydrocarbon chains found in crude oil? The resource explains the process of fractional distillation, the method used to separate all of the useful molecules found in the world's most important nonrenewable resource. The video contains a step-by-step explanation of the heating, cooling, and sorting involved in collecting bitumen, naphtha, diesel, and several other products.

Concepts

hydrocarbons, distillation, crude oil, boiling points, hydrogen bonds, intermolecular forces, energy sources

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Consider providing each student with a diagram to label that shows the fractions formed during the distillation of crude oil
• Show the video to reinforce the uses of hydrocarbons, or to illustrate the fractional distillation process

Classroom Considerations

• Pupils should have prior knowledge of hydrocarbon chains and intermolecular forces

Pros

• The narrator provides a clear, simple description of the fractional distillation process that young organic chemists can understand
• Colorful animations show how the physical property of boiling point helps separate hydrocarbons of different sizes

Cons

• None