Facts about Hydrocarbons

Hydrocarbon Facts

- They are definitely fossil fuels

-Hydrocarbons are the main energy source for industrialized nations and are a source of organic chemicals

- Liquid hydrocarbons extracted from the earth are known as petroleum, while gaseous hydrocarbons are referred to as natural gas.

Hydrocarbon fuels

-          Coal is an efficient fuel compared to wood. However, some coal is highly polluting, full of sulfur or other contaminants. However, it is still the world's primary fossil fuel.

-          Petroleum is refined in a process that separates it into a variety of fuels, including kerosene, gasoline and diesel. Other crude oil fractions become chemical stock or are broken down into more fuel.

-          Natural gas can power vehicles, It is much less  polluting than coal.

Hydrocarbon chemicals

-    Countless solvents, plastics, fibers and industrial chemicals are made from hydrocarbons. To make chemicals, intermediate feedstocks are first refined from petroleum or natural gas.

-    The fluid catalytic cracking process breaks large molecules in petroleum into smaller molecules including ethylene, benzene and toluene. Ethylene, propylene and other hydrocarbons are also produced from natural gas liquids.

-    Ethylene and propylene become plastics like polyester and polyvinyl chloride through a process called polymerization, which builds long molecule chains out of repeating molecules.

-  Benzene and toluene are the basis for aniline dyes, detergents, polystyrene and nylon.

-    Adhesives, sealants, agrochemicals, flavors, paints and many other products are also made from hydrocarbons. Depending on the final product, hydrocarbons may be more valuable as feedstocks than as fuel.