Petro-chemicals
What term describes that organic compounds produced from petroleum that are used by industries to manufacture plastics and synthetic material?
Petrochemicals
What does the term 'cracking' mean in the context of petrochemical industry?
A high temperature industrial process that breaks large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller, more reactive ones.
Name the monomer of PVC and its chemical formula.
Monomer: Chloroethene (Vinyl Chloride)
Chemical Formula: CH₂=CHCl
Approximately what percentage of garbage by mass is plastic?
About 7% of waste by mass.
List at least 3 natural polymers not discussed in the main lesson.
- Natural Rubber
- Chitin
- Silk
Name the two type of hydrocarbons found in petroleum that are used as starting materials for petrochemicals.
Alkanes and Alkenes
Name all 4 stages of the catalytic cracking process.
Input, Heat, Break, Output
In step 1 of PVC synthesis, ethane reacts with chlorine. Name the reaction type and the product name.
Addition Reaction: 1,2-Dichloroethene
How did vinyl chloride affect PVC workers in the 1970's, and what has been done since?
Workers died of liver cancer, due to prolonged exposure to vinyl chloride. Government regulations now restrict worker exposure, and industry has voluntarily reduced dioxin emissions.
How does glycogen differ from starch structurally?
Glycogen branches every 8-12 glucose units, while starch branches every 24-30.
Identify and describe the chemical process used to convert petroleum into petrochemicals.
Cracking - a high temperature process that breaks large hydrocarbon molecules from petroleum.
What is the catalyst used in the catalytic cracking of ethane and the temperature used?
Platinum Catalyst - 800°C
What type of reaction converts 1,2-dichloroethene into vinyl chloride?
Elimination(Cracking)
Compare hydrobiodegradable and oxobiodegradable biplastics.
Hydrobiodegradable plastics are derived from starch or cellulose, while oxobiodegradable plastics are made from petroleum and require a catalyst.
What is DNA's monomer, linkage type, and overall structure?
Monomer: Nucleotides
Linkage - Condensation Polymerization
Structure: Double Helix linked by H-bonds (A-T, C-G)
Name THREE products that the petrochemical industry synthesizes from ethene, and state what each is used for.
- Polyethylene, Ethylene glycol (Antifreeze)
- Polypropylene (Containers/Food Wrap)
- Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) (Windows, Doors, Pipes)
Explain WHY the prescence of a double bond in ethene makes it more useful than ethene as a starting material.
The double bond makes ethene much more reactive than ethene. It can undergo addition reactions to form many useful materials.
List at least THREE advantages and TWO disadvantages of producing PVC.
Advantages: Durable and versatile creating products such as windows, pipes, flooring)
Disadvantages: Vinyl chloride monomer is carcinogenic; burning produces toxic dioxins; non-biodegradable.
Describe how PET plastic bottles are recycled into a new product. Name the final product.
PET bottles chopped → melted down → extruded as fibre → knitted into fleece fabric used for jackets and clothing.
What is the monomer of natural rubber, chitin, and silk?
Natural Rubber: Isoprene
Chitin: N-acetylglucosamine
Silk: Amino acids (fibroin)
Name the complete journey from crude oil to a final consumer product. Name every single stage and what happens at each one.
Petroleum (crude oil extraction) --->Refining (hydrocarbons separated by boiling point) -->Cracking (high temp breakdown to smaller molecules)--> Petrochemicals (ethene, propane, etc.) --> Products (plastics, fibres, etc.)
Write the full balanced equuation for the catalytic cracking of ethene.
C₂H₆ (g) → CH₂=CH₂ (g) + H₂ (g)
Write the final balanced chemical equation in the PVC synthesis process.
n CH₂=CHCl → -(CH₂-CHCl)ₙ-
What are dioxins, and how are they produced in the context of PVC?
Dioxins are a class of highly toxic chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons produced as an unwanted by-product during the manufacture and burning of PVC.
Describe the role of proteins as natural polymers. What is the monomer, how are they linked, and what can they be found in?
Monomer: Amino acids. Linked by amide bonds, found in enzymes, hemoglobin, hormones.