Fuels
11.3What the syllabus asks of you
- Name the fossil fuels: coal, natural gas and petroleum
- Name methane as the main constituent of natural gas
- State that hydrocarbons are compounds that contain hydrogen and carbon only
- State that petroleum is a mixture of hydrocarbons
- Describe the separation of petroleum into useful fractions by fractional distillation
- Describe how the properties of fractions obtained from petroleum change from the bottom to the top of the fractionating column, limited to: (a) decreasing chain length (b) higher volatility (c) lower boiling points (d) lower viscosity
- Name the uses of the fractions as: (a) refinery gas fraction for gas used in heating and cooking (b) gasoline / petrol fraction for fuel used in cars (c) naphtha fraction as a chemical feedstock (d) kerosene / paraffin fraction for jet fuel (e) diesel oil / gas oil fraction for fuel used in diesel engines (f) fuel oil fraction for fuel used in ships and home heating systems (g) lubricating oil fraction for lubricants, waxes and polishes (h) bitumen fraction for making roads
Read the notes first
Chapter 11: Fuels
Drill this topic
Every question on Fuels, untimed, marked as you go.
Make a worksheet
Choose the years and how many questions, then print it with the answers on separate pages.
15 questions
1May / June 2026 · Paper 12 · Q32Show mark scheme →
A1, 2 and 3
B1 and 2 only
C1 and 3 only
D2 and 3 only
Mark scheme
2Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 12 · Q33Show mark scheme →
A1, 2 and 3
B1 and 2 only
C1 and 3 only
D2 and 3 only
Mark scheme
3May / June 2025 · Paper 11 · Q34Show mark scheme →
Aboiling point
Bchain length
Cviscosity
Dvolatility
Mark scheme
4Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 12 · Q35Show mark scheme →
A1, 2 and 3
B1 and 2 only
C1 and 3 only
D2 and 3 only
Mark scheme
5May / June 2024 · Paper 11 · Q34Show mark scheme →
AAny compound that contains both hydrogen and carbon is a hydrocarbon.
BPetroleum is a compound formed from many different hydrocarbons.
CThe boiling points of hydrocarbons increase when the chain length increases.
DThe naphtha fraction obtained from petroleum is used for making roads.
Mark scheme
6May / June 2024 · Paper 12 · Q34Show mark scheme →
Abitumen
Bfuel oil
Cgasoline / petrol
Dkerosene / paraffin
Mark scheme
7Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 11 · Q35Show mark scheme →
AThe lubricating oil fraction is more viscous than the kerosene / paraffin fraction.
BThe lubricating oil fraction is more volatile than the kerosene / paraffin fraction.
CThe lubricating oil fraction has lower boiling points than the kerosene / paraffin fraction.
DMolecules in the lubricating oil fraction have smaller chain lengths than molecules in the kerosene / paraffin fraction.
Mark scheme
8Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q34Show mark scheme →
A1 and 2
B1 and 3
C2 and 4
D3 and 4
Mark scheme
9May / June 2023 · Paper 11 · Q35Show mark scheme →
A1 and 2
B1 and 4
C2 and 3
D3 and 4
Mark scheme
10May / June 2021 · Paper 12 · Q16Show mark scheme →
Aethane
Bethene
Cmethane
Dmethanol
Mark scheme
11Oct / Nov 2020 · Paper 12 · Q4Also set in Oct / Nov 2020 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
AThe temperature increases up the column.
BX condenses at a lower temperature than Y.
CX has a higher boiling point than Y.
DX has longer chain molecules than Y.
Mark scheme
12May / June 2018 · Paper 11 · Q17Show mark scheme →
Abitumen — as a lubricant
Bdiesel — for aircraft engines
Cnaphtha — making road surfaces
Dparaffin (kerosene) — fuel for heating and cooking
Mark scheme
13May / June 2018 · Paper 11 · Q18Show mark scheme →
AC2H5OH
BCH3CO2H
CC8H18
DC6H12O6
Mark scheme
14May / June 2018 · Paper 12 · Q17Show mark scheme →
Abitumen
Bnaphtha
Cparaffin (kerosene)
Dpetrol (gasoline)
Mark scheme
15Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 12 · Q35Show mark scheme →
AC6H14
BC8H18
CC10H22
DC12H26
Mark scheme