What is the difference between hydrocarbons and petrochemicals?
Important Questions on Coal and Petroleum
Rajesh and Ranjit were returning from school when they saw a person standing at the interaction who introduces himself as Prof Monty. He claims that he has made petroleum from wheatgrass. Rajesh is skeptical about it. He informs Ranjit that it took over thousands of years for petroleum to form. The process cannot be duplicated in the laboratory. Rajesh wants to give the person a chance to prove that he is telling the truth. Ranjit reluctantly agrees.
Prof Monty tells them that he has perfected the technique of converting wheatgrass into petroleum using ancient methods. But the problem is that he lacks finance for setting up a large-scale factory and marketing his product. He invites Rajesh and Rakesh to become partners in this project. Is it possible to make petroleum from wheatgrass? What is wrong with the offer made by Prof Monty? How can we avoid falling into such traps?
In Shrishti's village, the Ecology Protection Group has organised a special seminar on alternative energy. Dr. Malhotra is representing the group and starts with an introduction on the EPG and its functioning. He then continues detailing the problems with conventional fuel sources.
After this, he talks about biomass. Shrishti has never ever heard about biomass. Dr Malhotra tells that biomass is a fuel that is developed from organic material i.e. the material which is living or was recently living. He further explains how biomass can redefine our dependence on conventional fuel sources and how the usage of biomass can lead to development of multiple products—fuels, power, and chemicals in the biorefinery. Shrishti remembers reading about something similar in chapter 5 of her science textbook. What is Shrishti referring to? Besides petrol, list three items which we get by refining petroleum. How can biomass help us in maintaining a clean and healthy environment.
The terms that you came across in the chapter are hidden in the alphabet grid given below. Try to find out all of these terms by going up, down, or even diagonally forward as well as backward.
Follow the clues and solve the terms you have learned.
Across:
1. A thick, black liquid with an unpleasant smell which is produced by heating coal in the absence of air (4, 3)
2. A dark-coloured, thick liquid found deep below the ground in certain areas (5, 3)
3. A hard, black, combustible mineral that consists mainly of carbon.
4. A natural fuel formed from the remains of living organisms buried under the earth long ago (6, 4)
Down:
2. A gaseous fuel obtained by the strong heating of coal in the absence of air during the processing of coal to obtain coke (4, 3)
3. A tough, porous, and black substance obtained by heating coal in the absence of air.
5. It is an industrial facility where the process of separating crude petroleum oil into more useful fractions is carried out (9, 8)
6. A flammable gas, which occurs naturally underground either alone or along with oil above the petroleum deposits (7, 3)
