Anonymous Poster
Epic Contributor
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2005
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Now you wish you were a rocket scientist...
{from another web site}
Question
What is the difference between gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, etc.?
Answer
The "crude oil" pumped out of the ground is a black liquid called petroleum. This liquid contains aliphatic hydrocarbons, or hydrocarbons composed of nothing but hydrogen and carbon. The carbon atoms link together in chains of different lengths.
It turns out that hydrocarbon molecules of different lengths have different properties and behaviors. For example, a chain with just one carbon atom in it (CH4) is the lightest chain, known as methane. Methane is a gas so light, in fact, that it floats like helium. As the chains get longer they get heavier. The first 4 chains (CH4, C2H6, C3H8 and C4H10 or methane, ethane, propane and butane) are all gases that boil at -161, -88, -46 and -1 degrees F respectively. The chains up through C18H32 or so are all liquids and the chains above C19 are solids at room temperature.
The different chain lengths all have progressively higher boiling points, so they can all be separated by distillation. This is what happens in an oil refinery - crude oil is heated and the different chains are pulled out by their vaporization temperatures.
The chain lengths in the C5, C6 and C7 range are all very light, easily vaporized clear liquids called naphthas. They are used as solvents - dry cleaning fluids can be made from these liquids, as are paint solvents and other quick-drying products.
The chain lengths from C7H16 through C11H24 are blended together and used for gasoline. All of them vaporize at temperatures below the boiling point of water.
Next is kerosene in the C12 to C15 range, followed by diesel fuel and heavier fuel oils (like heating oil for houses).
Next come the lubricating oils. These oils no longer vaporize in any way at normal temperatures (for example, engine oil can run all day at 250 degrees F without vaporizing at all). Oils go from very light (like 3-in-1 oil) though various thicknesses of motor oil through very thick gear oils and then semi-solid greases. Vasoline falls in there as well.
Chains above the C20 range form solids, starting with paraffin wax, then tar and finally asphaltic bitumen used to make asphalt roads.
All of these different substances come from crude oil. The only difference is the length of the carbon chains!
{from another web site}
Question
What is the difference between gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, etc.?
Answer
The "crude oil" pumped out of the ground is a black liquid called petroleum. This liquid contains aliphatic hydrocarbons, or hydrocarbons composed of nothing but hydrogen and carbon. The carbon atoms link together in chains of different lengths.
It turns out that hydrocarbon molecules of different lengths have different properties and behaviors. For example, a chain with just one carbon atom in it (CH4) is the lightest chain, known as methane. Methane is a gas so light, in fact, that it floats like helium. As the chains get longer they get heavier. The first 4 chains (CH4, C2H6, C3H8 and C4H10 or methane, ethane, propane and butane) are all gases that boil at -161, -88, -46 and -1 degrees F respectively. The chains up through C18H32 or so are all liquids and the chains above C19 are solids at room temperature.
The different chain lengths all have progressively higher boiling points, so they can all be separated by distillation. This is what happens in an oil refinery - crude oil is heated and the different chains are pulled out by their vaporization temperatures.
The chain lengths in the C5, C6 and C7 range are all very light, easily vaporized clear liquids called naphthas. They are used as solvents - dry cleaning fluids can be made from these liquids, as are paint solvents and other quick-drying products.
The chain lengths from C7H16 through C11H24 are blended together and used for gasoline. All of them vaporize at temperatures below the boiling point of water.
Next is kerosene in the C12 to C15 range, followed by diesel fuel and heavier fuel oils (like heating oil for houses).
Next come the lubricating oils. These oils no longer vaporize in any way at normal temperatures (for example, engine oil can run all day at 250 degrees F without vaporizing at all). Oils go from very light (like 3-in-1 oil) though various thicknesses of motor oil through very thick gear oils and then semi-solid greases. Vasoline falls in there as well.
Chains above the C20 range form solids, starting with paraffin wax, then tar and finally asphaltic bitumen used to make asphalt roads.
All of these different substances come from crude oil. The only difference is the length of the carbon chains!
