Basic Petroleum Chemistry
Interactive

Basic Petroleum Chemistry

Martech
Updated Jan 21, 2021

 At the end of this lesson, you will be able to discuss the molecular structure, physical properties, naming conventions, and commercial uses of several common hydrocarbons. • Compare the definitions of petroleum and crude oil • Relate the physical states of hydrocarbons to their carbon content • Discuss how covalent bonds are formed between hydrogen and carbon • Explain the use of base names, prefixes, and suffixes to label hydrocarbons • Describe and compare the structure of the following hydrocarbon families: – Paraffins – Napthenes – Aromatics – Olefins – Alkynes • Identify correlations between physical properties of a hydrocarbon and the hydrocarbon’s molecular structure • List some contaminants commonly found in crude oil and explain their adverse effects on oil refining