Organic Chemistry (OCR GCSE Combined Science A (Gateway): Chemistry)

Exam Questions

51 mins21 questions
1a4 marks

Crude oil is used as a source of fuels. It is separated into many fractions by fractional distillation. The diagram shows a fractionating column.

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Crude oil contains a mixture of hydrocarbons that boil at different temperatures.

Describe how crude oil can be separated using a fractionating column.

1b1 mark

Alkenes are used to make polymers. Polymers are used to make clothes such as socks and jumpers.

Suggest one property of a polymer that makes it suitable for making clothes.

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2a2 marks

Fractional distillation separates crude oil into useful fractions.

Look at the table.

It shows the percentage of each fraction made from crude oil. It also shows the percentage of each fraction needed for everyday uses.

Fraction

Percentage made by fractional distillation

Percentage needed for everyday uses

Gases

4

11

Petrol

11

22

Naphtha

10

18

Paraffin

12

20

Fuel oil

22

10

Waxes and tar

23

4

i) Which fraction is made in the greatest percentage?

Tick (✓) one box

Gases

square

Petrol

square

Naphtha

square

Paraffin

square

Fuel oil

square

Waxes and tar

square

ii) Which fraction is needed in the smallest percentage?

Tick (✓) one box.

Gases

square

Petrol

square

Naphtha

square

Paraffin

square

Fuel oil

square

Waxes and tar

square

2b3 marks

Cracking changes large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller hydrocarbon molecules.

i) One of the conditions needed for cracking is a high pressure. Write down one other condition needed.

[1]

ii) Cracking is a very useful reaction. Explain why. Use information from the table in your answer

[2]

2c
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3 marks

In 2008 the USA produced 4 900 000 barrels of crude oil per day. In 2019 this had increased to 11 000 000 barrels of crude oil per day.

Calculate the percentage increase in the number of barrels of crude oil produced per day from 2008 to 2019.

Use the formula: percentage increase =  increase over original× 100

Give your answer to 2 decimal places.

Percentage increase = ..................................................... % 

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3a1 mark

Crude oil is separated into useful fractions using fractional distillation.

The table shows the percentages of crude oil fractions from different oil wells.

Fraction

Percentage of fraction in crude oil

Oil well X

Oil well Y

Oil well Z

LPG

2

7

10

Petrol

3

10

25

Paraffin

6

15

20

Diesel

7

11

15

Fuel oil

26

29

28

Bitumen

56

28

2

Which oil well contains the highest percentage of low boiling point fractions?

Tick (✓) one box.

X     square

Y     square

Z     square

[1]

3b
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2 marks

A barrel of crude oil from oil well Y has a mass of 139 kg.

Calculate the mass of fuel oil in this barrel.

Mass = ..................................................... kg

3c3 marks

A sample of decane was cracked.

Look at the diagram of the apparatus used.

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i) Describe how this apparatus is used to produce ethene from decane.

[2]

ii) One molecule of decane, C10H22, produced two molecules of ethene, C2H4, and one molecule of product Z.

C10H22rightwards arrow 2C2H4 + product Z

Write the formula for product Z.

[1]

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46 marks

Propane gas is used as a fuel for cooking and heating in caravans.

q22c-paper-2-nov-2020-ocr-gcse-chem

Incomplete combustion of propane can occur if the campers do not take sensible precautions.

Describe how incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons such as propane happens and the problems it can cause for campers.

Include a balanced symbol equation in your answer.

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5a3 marks

This question is about life-cycle assessment.

A car company is developing three new cars:

  • A petrol car

  • A diesel car

  • An electric car.

They do a life-cycle assessment of each car.

Look at the information about the life-cycle assessment of each car.

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The company decides to manufacture and sell the electric car.

Explain why they make this choice.

Use the information from the life-cycle assessment to help you.

5b3 marks

The fuels for the petrol and diesel cars are made from crude oil.

Crude oil is separated into different parts by fractional distillation.

The diagram shows a fractionating column.

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Explain why crude oil vapour can be separated by fractional distillation.

5c2 marks

The table shows the boiling points of molecules present in different crude oil fractions.

Molecule

Boiling point (°C)

A

−2

B

125

C

216

D

502

Which molecule, A, B, C or D, is in the LPG fraction?

Explain your decision.

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61 mark

A student is using the internet to find out about alcohols. The student finds the following information.

Name

Number of carbon atoms

Boiling point (°C)

Methanol

1

65

Ethanol

2

79

Propanol

3

97

Pentanol

5

138

Hexanol

6

156

Plot a graph of the boiling points of the alcohols on the grid. Draw a line of best fit.

q25a-paper-2-june-2018-ocr-gcse-chem

[3]

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72 marks

Poly(propenenitrile) is an addition polymer.

Look at the flow chart. It shows how poly(propenenitrile) is made from crude oil.

q20-paper-4-specimen-2016-ocr-gcse-chem

Crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons.

Fractional distillation separates the hydrocarbons in this mixture.

Explain how fractional distillation separates the hydrocarbons, in terms of intermolecular forces.

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12 marks

A student did an experiment to prove that methane gas, CH4, produces carbon dioxide and water when it burns.

Look at the diagram of her experiment.

q21-paper-4-june-2019-ocr-gcse-chem

The limewater turned milky showing that carbon dioxide had been formed.

A small amount of a colourless liquid condensed in boiling tube X. The student said that this proved that burning methane produced water.

The teacher said that the experiment had been set up incorrectly.

The teacher said that the student’s conclusion about water was not valid.

Describe and explain how the student could change how the experiment is set up to prove that water is produced by burning methane.

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