What Do You Think You Know About Crude Oil?

Crude oil is obtained through drilling. This process involves creating a hole or well in the earth's surface to access and extract the oil reserves trapped underground. Drilling is commonly used in oil exploration and production activities to reach the oil-bearing formations and allow for the extraction of crude oil. Excavation, dredging, and researching are not methods typically used to obtain crude oil.

Crude oil is often referred to as "black gold" due to its valuable nature and its dark color. The term "black gold" highlights the economic significance and worth of crude oil in the global market.

Catalytic cracking is a refining process that converts heavy, low-value hydrocarbons into lighter, more valuable products such as gasoline and diesel. This process involves breaking down larger molecules by applying heat and a catalyst, which facilitates the breaking of molecular bonds. Fractional distillation is a separation process, hydrodesulfurization removes sulfur from petroleum, and alkylation combines smaller molecules to produce high-octane gasoline components.

Distillation is the correct answer because it is the process of heating oil and separating it into different components based on their boiling points. This is done by heating the oil to its boiling point and then collecting the vapor that is released. As the vapor cools, it condenses back into liquid form and can be collected as separate components. This process is commonly used in oil refineries to separate crude oil into various products such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.

Crude oil was first discovered and developed during the Industrial Revolution. This period, which took place in the 18th and 19th centuries, was characterized by significant advancements in technology, manufacturing, and transportation. The discovery and utilization of crude oil played a crucial role in fueling these advancements, as it became a key source of energy for industries such as transportation, manufacturing, and power generation. The Industrial Revolution marked a turning point in human history, leading to unprecedented economic growth and societal changes.

Heavy reliance on fossil fuels is cited as one of the main causes of global warming. Fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas release large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases when burned for energy. These greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to the warming of the Earth's surface. This warming has numerous negative effects, including rising sea levels, melting ice caps, extreme weather events, and disruptions to ecosystems. Therefore, the heavy reliance on fossil fuels is directly linked to the phenomenon of global warming.

The correct answer is "Replaced naturally." This suggests that the resource being referred to is nonrenewable, meaning it cannot be replenished or replaced naturally over time.

Catalytic cracking is a crucial process in a refinery that breaks down large, complex hydrocarbon molecules in crude oil into smaller, more valuable products such as gasoline, diesel, and other lighter hydrocarbons. Distillation is the process of separating crude oil into its various components based on boiling points, alkylation is used to combine smaller molecules to form higher-octane gasoline components, and reforming is used to improve the quality of gasoline by increasing its octane number.

Natural gas is usually found alongside other resources such as oil. This is because both oil and natural gas are formed from the same organic materials, such as dead plants and animals, that have been buried and subjected to heat and pressure over millions of years. As a result, they often accumulate together in underground reservoirs. Therefore, it is common to find natural gas deposits in close proximity to oil deposits.

Isomerization is the process used in refineries to convert straight-chain alkanes into branched-chain alkanes, which have higher octane ratings and are more suitable for use in gasoline. This process helps improve the quality of gasoline by making it burn more efficiently and reducing engine knocking. Hydrocracking is used to break down large hydrocarbons, fractional distillation separates components based on boiling points, and polymerization combines smaller molecules into larger ones.