Year 9 Science · Unit 2 · Lesson 12
Foundation Worksheet
Learning Goals
Fill the gap
Choose the correct word from the word bank to complete the passage below. Each word is used once. Two words in the bank are not needed.
Crude oil is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons that formed over millions of years from ancient marine organisms. Before it can be used, crude oil must be separated into useful groups called . This is done by heating the oil and passing the vapours up a tall distillation . Because different hydrocarbons have different points, they condense and are collected at different heights. This process is called fractional distillation and is classified as a separation, no new substances are formed. The lightest fraction, gas, rises to the very top because it has the lowest boiling point. In the middle of the column, is collected and used to fuel trucks and trains. At the very bottom, heavy is collected and used to surface roads.
Sort it!
Write each fraction from the pool into the correct column. Use what you know about chain length and where fractions are collected in the distillation column.
Short chain, collected near the top
Medium chain, collected in the middle
Long chain, collected near the bottom
1. What property of hydrocarbons does fractional distillation use to separate crude oil into different fractions?
2. Explain why fractional distillation is classified as a physical separation method rather than a chemical one.
Wrap Up
In one sentence, what was the main idea of this lesson?