Chemistry-Catalytic cracking of paraffin

Aim: To investigate the Catalytic cracking of paraffin

Research Question: I would like to investigate how the amount of paraffin effects the amount
of smaller hydrocarbons produced. This is because I have observed that many large long
chain hydrocarbons are broken down into smaller hydrocarbons through the process of
cracking. These smaller hydrocarbons can be converted to petrol. Most large chain
hydrocarbons are broken down into smaller alkanes and alkenes. Paraffin has around 20
carbons and can produce many smaller chain hydrocarbons.

Hypothesis: I believe that if I increase the amount of paraffin the number of small chain
hydrocarbons produced will increase. This is because liquid paraffin when heated in the
presence of a catalyst will evaporate into a mixture of smaller chain hydrocarbons, which
can be tested for unsaturation using bromine water. Hence as if there are more reactants
there will be more products so if more paraffin reacts with catalyst in the presence of heat,
more products should be formed.

Variables:

Independent: Amount of paraffin, I will do this by conducted the experiment 3 times, each
time increasing the amount of paraffin used. I will also time the amount of time it takes for the
reaction to be complete in order to obtain accurate results.

Dependent: Amount of small hydrocarbons produced. This will be measured by observing

how many test tubes are needed in order to collect all the paraffin gas, however we could
also use the inverted pyramid method.

Control: Amount of catalyst, amount of water in trough, amount of heat supplied, any other
external conditions. I will keep all these variables constant through out the duration of the
experiment.

Method and materials:

Apparatus:
Test-tubes, 8

Rubber stoppers for each text tube

Test-tube rack

Boiling tube (Note 1)

Rubber stopper with hole for boiling tube

Delivery tube fitted with a Bunsen valve

Small glass trough or plastic basin, for gas collection over water

Bunsen burner

Stand and clamp

Dropping pipette

Wooden splint

Liquid paraffin, 1 cm^3, 2 cm^3, 3cm^3

Porous pot or pumice stone fragments

Bromine water, 0.01 M - 2 cm3

Acidified potassium manganate(VII) - 2 cm3

Mineral wool

Glass rod

Method:

1) Set up apparatus

2) Take boiling tube, and insert mineral wool at the bottom of the tube using a glass
rod

3) Drop about 2 cm3 of liquid paraffin on to the wool, using a dropping pipette.

4) Completely soak the wool, however, ensure there is no excess

5) Clamp the boiling tube such that the end of the test tube will wool is tilted
slightly downwards.

6) Place the a relatively large amount of catalyst (porous pot) at the centre of the
boiling tube.

7) Insert the delivery tube into the boiling tube

8) Fill the trough a little more than halfway with water, and ensure that the delivery
tube is completely immersed in the water.

9) Place 8 test tubes, along with their rubber stoppers into the trough filled with
water (make sure they are placed inverted)

10) Turn on the heat, mainly heat the catalyst in the centre of the boiling tube.
Occasionally let the flame touch the wool in order to vaporise the liquid paraffin.
Ensure there is a steady stream of vapour moving from the boiling tube through the
delivery tube to the trough.

11) Avoid suck-back

 12) Collect the gas into the test tubes in the trough.

13) After every test tube is full, close each test tube using a rubber stopper and place in
the test tube stand to test for un-saturation.

14) Record the amount of test tubes that had filled up by the time the reaction stopped.

Chemistry-Catalytic cracking of paraffin

Aim: To investigate the Catalytic cracking of paraffin

Research Question: I would like to investigate how the amount of paraffin effects the amount
of smaller hydrocarbons produced. This is because I have observed that many large long
chain hydrocarbons are broken down into smaller hydrocarbons through the process of
cracking. These smaller hydrocarbons can be converted to petrol. Most large chain
hydrocarbons are broken down into smaller alkanes and alkenes. Paraffin has around 20
carbons and can produce many smaller chain hydrocarbons.

Hypothesis: I believe that if I increase the amount of paraffin the number of small chain
hydrocarbons produced will increase. This is because liquid paraffin when heated in the
presence of a catalyst will evaporate into a mixture of smaller chain hydrocarbons, which
can be tested for unsaturation using bromine water. Hence as if there are more reactants
there will be more products so if more paraffin reacts with catalyst in the presence of heat,
more products should be formed.

Variables:

Independent: Amount of paraffin, I will do this by conducted the experiment 3 times, each
time increasing the amount of paraffin used. I will also time the amount of time it takes for the
reaction to be complete in order to obtain accurate results.

Dependent: Amount of small hydrocarbons produced. This will be measured by observing

how many test tubes are needed in order to collect all the paraffin gas, however we could
also use the inverted pyramid method.

Control: Amount of catalyst, amount of water in trough, amount of heat supplied, any other
external conditions. I will keep all these variables constant through out the duration of the
experiment.

Method and materials:

Apparatus:
Test-tubes, 8

Rubber stoppers for each text tube

Test-tube rack
Boiling tube (Note 1)

Rubber stopper with hole for boiling tube

Delivery tube fitted with a Bunsen valve

Small glass trough or plastic basin, for gas collection over water

Bunsen burner

Stand and clamp

Dropping pipette

Wooden splint

Liquid paraffin, 1 cm^3, 2 cm^3, 3cm^3

Porous pot or pumice stone fragments

Bromine water, 0.01 M - 2 cm3

Acidified potassium manganate(VII) - 2 cm3

Mineral wool

Glass rod

Method:

1) Set up apparatus

2) Take boiling tube, and insert mineral wool at the bottom of the tube using a glass
rod

3) Drop about 2 cm3 of liquid paraffin on to the wool, using a dropping pipette.

4) Completely soak the wool, however, ensure there is no excess

5) Clamp the boiling tube such that the end of the test tube will wool is tilted
slightly downwards.

6) Place the a relatively large amount of catalyst (porous pot) at the centre of the
boiling tube.

7) Insert the delivery tube into the boiling tube

8) Fill the trough a little more than halfway with water, and ensure that the delivery
tube is completely immersed in the water.
9) Place 8 test tubes, along with their rubber stoppers into the trough filled with
water (make sure they are placed inverted)

10) Turn on the heat, mainly heat the catalyst in the centre of the boiling tube.
Occasionally let the flame touch the wool in order to vaporise the liquid paraffin.
Ensure there is a steady stream of vapour moving from the boiling tube through the
delivery tube to the trough.

11) Avoid suck-back

12) Collect the gas into the test tubes in the trough.

13) After every test tube is full, close each test tube using a rubber stopper and place in
the test tube stand to test for un-saturation.

14) Record the amount of test tubes that had filled up by the time the reaction stopped.

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