International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) Chemistry Practice Exam

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What is the chemical process of cracking primarily concerned with?

  1. The synthesis of gasoline

  2. The breaking down of long-chain alkanes

  3. The distillation of crude oil

  4. The polymerization of hydrocarbons

The correct answer is: The breaking down of long-chain alkanes

Cracking is a crucial process in the petroleum industry, primarily aimed at breaking down long-chain alkanes into shorter, more useful hydrocarbons. This process involves the breaking of carbon-carbon bonds in long-chain hydrocarbons, resulting in a mixture of shorter alkanes and alkenes. These shorter hydrocarbons are often more valuable as fuels, such as gasoline, and as raw materials for the petrochemical industry. The choice regarding the synthesis of gasoline is related but does not accurately capture the essence of cracking, which is focused on breakdown rather than synthesis. Distillation of crude oil is a separate process used to separate the various components of crude oil based on their boiling points and is not the same as cracking. Polymerization involves the joining of small molecules to form larger ones, which is distinct from the breaking down of larger molecules that occurs during cracking.

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