HKCEE PAST PAPER 87-94/SECTION 5/LQ/PAGE 1

Section 5 Fossil Fuels

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1988 Q.5(b)

Long chain molecules obtained from the fractional distillation of crude oil can be converted to
smaller molecules by the process of cracking. One example is illustrated by the equation below:

C10H22 → A + B

where A is a saturated hydrocarbon containing 7 carbon atoms, and B is an unsaturated

hydrocarbon.

(i) Why is cracking important in the petroleum industry?

(ii) Write the molecular formula of A.
(iii) (1) Explain the term “unsaturated hydrocarbon”.
(2) Write the structural formula of B.
(3) Give one use of B.
(iv) Suggest a chemical test to distinguish B from A, and write an appropriate equation.
(v) Predict whether A or B would have the higher boiling and explain your answer.
(9 marks)
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1989 Q.5(b)

Two experiments were performed using the following set-up:

Experiment Liquid used to soak the rocksil

I kerosene
II ethanol

(i) Name the type of reaction involved in

(1) Experiment I.
(2) Experiment II.
(ii) After reaction, a thin layer of oily liquid appeared in the beaker of water in Experiment I, but
not in Experiment II.
(1) Suggest what this oily liquid might be.
(2) Explain why no oily liquid was formed in Experiment II.
(iii) Under what circumstance would sucking back occur in both experiments?
(iv) The colourless gaseous products in both experiments can decolorize bromine water. What
conclusion can be drawn about the nature of these gases?
(v) Explain why the process represented by Experiment I is important industrially. Suggest TWO
uses of the products from the industrial process.
(8 marks)
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1990 Q.3(a)

Hong Kong imports naphtha (mainly C5H12), from which town gas is produced.

(i) What is the raw material from which naphtha is obtained? How is naphtha obtained from this
raw material?
 HKCEE PAST PAPER 87-94/SECTION 5/LQ/PAGE 2

(ii) Town gas is produced by reacting naphtha with steam. Write an equation for this reaction.
Name two major components in town gas.
(iii) What is observed when town gas is passed through a sample of citrated blood? Explain your
answer.
(iv) What is observed when town gas is passed over heated copper(II) oxide in a combustion
tube? Explain your answer and write appropriate equations.
(v) State TWO potential hazards associated with the use of town gas.
(vi) If you suspect there is a leakage of town gas in your home, explain why
(1) you should open all the windows at once.
(2) you should NOT use your telephone to call for help.
(13 marks)
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1991 Q.3(a)

Petroleum, often referred to as a ‘fossil’ fuel, can be separated into various fractions by fractional
distillation. The following table shows the annual production and consumption of petroleum
fractions in a certain country.

Petroleum fraction Annual production Annual consumption

(in million tonnes) (in million tonnes)
Petrol 10 25
Naphtha 5 5
Kerosene 20 20
Diesel oil 15 35
Heavy oil 40 5
Liquefied petroleum gas 6 4

(i) Why is petroleum referred to as a ‘fossil’ fuel?

(ii) Why can the various petroleum fractions be obtained from petroleum by fractional
distillation?
(iii) According to the above table, some fractions are produced is excess while some others are
not sufficient to meet the annual consumption requirements.
(1) Identify a fraction that is produced in excess and can be converted into those which are
not sufficient.
(2) Suggest a chemical method for the above conversion.
(iv) A sample of liquefied petroleum gas is known to contain propene and propane.
(1) Draw the structural formula of propene and propane.
(2) (I) Write the equation for the complete combustion of propane in air.
(II) Explain whether the combustion of propene or propane would produce a more
sooty flame.
(3) How would you show that propane consists of
(I) carbon, and
(II) hydrogen?
(4) Apart from combustion, describe another chemical test to distinguish propene from
propane.
(13 marks)
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1992 Q.1(c)

In motor car engines, petrol is mixed with air and burnt to produce power.

(i) Using C8H18 to represent petrol, write a balanced equation for the complete combustion of
petrol. Explain why this reaction can produce power.
(ii) What would happen if the supply of air is insufficient for the combustion of petrol in the car
engine?
(iii) Leaded petrol has been used for a long time in Hong Kong. In April 1991, unleaded petrol
was introduced.
(1) (I) What is leaded petrol?
(II) Why is petrol leaded? (out of syllabus)
(2) Explain why unleaded petrol has been introduced to Hong Kong.
 HKCEE PAST PAPER 87-94/SECTION 5/LQ/PAGE 3

(3) With reference to its chemical nature, explain why unleaded petrol can function almost as
efficient as leaded petrol. (out of syllabus)
(7/9 marks)
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1993 Q.1(c)

Alkenes can be obtained from petroleum fractions by a process called ‘cracking’. Using a suitable
petroleum fraction, a student carried out this process in the laboratory and collected the gaseous
product over water.

(i) What is ‘cracking’?

(ii) Draw a labelled diagram of a laboratory set-up that can be used for carrying out the process
and collecting the gaseous product.
(iii) An important safety precaution in the experiment is to prevent sucking back.
(1) What is the potential hazard if sucking back occurs?
(2) How can sucking back be prevented?
(iv) If the gaseous product decolorizes a solution of bromine in tetrachloromethane, can you
conclude that the gaseous product in ethene? Explain your answer.
(8 marks)
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1993 Q.3(b)

In school laboratories, chemical wastes such as concentrated hydrochloric acid, methylbenzene

and tetrachloromethane produced during practical work are to be stored in containers and then
sent to a chemical waste treatment plant for disposal.

(i) Explain why chemical wastes should not be poured down the sink in the laboratory.
(ii) Explain why chemical wastes such as concentrated hydrochloric acid should be stored in
containers made of plastics instead of metals.
(iii) When chemical wastes such as methylbenzene and tetrachloromethane are burnt in the
incinerator in the plant, several pollutants including sulphur dioxide are produced.
(1) Explain why sulphur dioxide is emitted from the incinerator.
(2) Name TWO pollutants other than sulphur dioxide which are emitted from the incinerator
and state ONE harmful effect for each pollutant.
(7 marks)
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<END OF SECTION 5>