Teaching Notes: Modelling Fractional Distillation

Modelling fractional distillation
Teaching notes
These two activities are useful to use with C/D borderline students, giving them a greater
understanding of how useful products are obtained from crude oil. They formed small parts of a
sequence of lessons which included a fractional distillation column demo, film clips about oil
refineries, cracking etc.
A sealed glass jar of black treacle represented a sample of crude oil and provided the starting
point of the lesson. Introduce it as ‘the star of the show’ and asked students to speculate on
why it was in the lesson
Activity 1 – showing a fractionating column
1. Find a space either in the lab or classroom that acts as a giant model of a fractionating
column e.g. if the room has benches or tables lying from front to back of the room with
gaps between the benches which could represent exit points for different fractions.
2. Have a Bunsen burner to represent the heat source at the base of the column.
3. Give cards out to about half the class. Make it clear to those without cards that they will
be called upon, perhaps with the help of one or two ‘buddies’, to explain the positioning
of the cards.
4. Those with words on their cards began; with ‘highest temperature’ and ‘lowest
temperature’ positioning themselves first at the top and bottom of the model
fractionating column.
5. Students with the names of different fuels, guided by members of the class stand in a
suitable position in the ‘fractionating column’; representing where the fraction would
exit the column.
6. Students with temperature cards position themselves next.
7. Finally, the students with the carbon chain cards position themselves, guided by the rest
of the class. As a more visual alternative they could be provided with models of the
different length chains made from paper loops, paperclips or Poppit beads.
The class should see the relationship between temperature and length of hydrocarbon molecule
and link these to the fuels with which they were all familiar. Introduce the words ‘volatile’ and
‘viscous’. They could create a continuum by summarising the features of the molecules
produced at each end of the column e.g. at the top are small molecules with low boiling points
and at the bottom are large molecules with high boiling points.
© www.teachitscience.co.uk 2015 21221 Page 1 of 4

Cards
cool
(20˚C)
LPG <25˚C ~3 carbon

chain
~8 carbon
petrol 50˚C
chain
kerosene ~15 carbon

200˚C
(paraffin) chain

~20 carbon
diesel oil 300˚C
chain
heavy ~35 carbon

320˚C
fuel oil chain
>70 carbon
bitumen >350˚C chain
HOT
(400˚C)

Activity 2 - modelling different boiling points of fractions
This activity helps students understand the idea that different fractions have different boiling
points.
Students should work in groups of 2 – 4.
1. Groups made paper chains of between 3 – 7 links. They need a minimum of two 3-link
chains and two 7-link chains. A 5 minute time limit was given.
Provide students with at least 20 paper strips roughly 5mm wide. Use sticky
tape, rather than glue to form the loop and link them together in the manner of
Christmas decorations.
2. After 5 mins each group should put their chains into a pile on the desk in front of them.
3. Using a textbook they decide what this pile of chains could represent.
Suggestions may include molecules, protein molecules, carbohydrates, polymers,

food chains, hydrocarbons.
4. In this case the pile of chains represents crude oil. At this point ask students; ‘What can
you deduce about crude oil from this model?’
5. Draw up a list of suggestions and each group try to find ‘evidence’ to support the
deductions from the textbook.
6. Ask students, what each chain might represent - they should make suggestions such as
petrol and diesel.
7. Explain that we have a use for each chain of hydrocarbon molecules but that we need to
separate them from the mixture.
8. To model intermolecular forces take a pair of 3-link chains, put a dab of glue on each link
and join to corresponding link of partner chain. Do the same with pair of 7-link chains.
Now try to separate the chains (do this fairly soon after sticking together so glue isn’t too
set). Which chain takes the most ‘energy’ to separate?
9. Using text books, ask students to find out what this activity might be modelling.
Longer hydrocarbon molecules having a greater area in contact with neighbouring

molecules in the mixture than smaller hydrocarbons do; giving stronger
intermolecular forces between longer molecules. Therefore more energy is
required to separate them.

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Modelling fractional distillation

Activity 1 – showing a fractionating column

6. Students with temperature cards position themselves next.

© www.teachitscience.co.uk 2015 21221 Page 1 of 4

LPG <25˚C ~3 carbon

kerosene ~15 carbon

© www.teachitscience.co.uk 2015 21221 Page 2 of 4

heavy ~35 carbon

© www.teachitscience.co.uk 2015 21221 Page 3 of 4

Students should work in groups of 2 – 4.

Suggestions may include molecules, protein molecules, carbohydrates, polymers,

Longer hydrocarbon molecules having a greater area in contact with neighbouring

© www.teachitscience.co.uk 2015 21221 Page 4 of 4

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