3.3.2
Alkanes
AQA 3.3.2 covers alkanes as saturated hydrocarbons: the fractional distillation of crude oil, thermal and catalytic cracking, complete and incomplete combustion, the pollutants from internal combustion engines and their removal, sulfur dioxide from fuels, and the free-radical substitution of methane by chlorine.
Revision Notes
Work through each part of AQA 3.3.2 in a structured sequence.
Oil
Alkanes from Crude Oil
Fractional distillation, cracking and reforming: where alkanes come from and how fractions are processed.
Start revisingas Fuel
Alkanes as Fuel
Complete and incomplete combustion, oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, and catalytic converters.
Start revisingAlternative Fuel
Biofuels, hydrogen and carbon neutrality compared with fossil fuels (extension for this board).
Start revisingSubstitution
Reactions of Alkanes
Free-radical substitution with halogens under UV light: initiation, propagation, termination and further substitution.
Start revising3.3.2 Alkanes – AQA A Level Chemistry
The following AQA specification points outline the knowledge and skills students are expected to demonstrate for Alkanes.
3.3.2 Alkanes
Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons.
Petroleum is a mixture consisting mainly of alkane hydrocarbons that can be separated by fractional distillation.
Cracking involves breaking C-C bonds in alkanes.
Thermal cracking takes place at high pressure and high temperature and produces a high percentage of alkenes (mechanism not required).
Catalytic cracking takes place at a slight pressure, high temperature and in the presence of a zeolite catalyst and is used mainly to produce motor fuels and aromatic hydrocarbons (mechanism not required).
Students should be able to:
Alkanes are used as fuels.
Combustion of alkanes and other organic compounds can be complete or incomplete.
The internal combustion engine produces a number of pollutants including NOx, CO, carbon and unburned hydrocarbons.
These gaseous pollutants from internal combustion engines can be removed using catalytic converters.
Combustion of hydrocarbons containing sulfur leads to sulfur dioxide that causes air pollution.
Students should be able to:
The reaction of methane with chlorine.
Students should be able to:
Keep this note — free
Save your progress across every AQA topic. A free account remembers which topics you have covered, saves your question scores, and syncs across your phone and laptop.
- Track every topic you have finished
- Keep your practice-question scores
- No payment, no card, free forever
Already registered? Log in