3.1 Natural Gas
Completion requirements
Module 1
Lesson 3.1 Natural Gas
Key Concepts
Natural gas is a rich source of hydrocarbon molecules. Refineries, such as the one pictured in the photograph below, separate components of natural gas. The refining of natural gas in Alberta occurs at more than 800 gas plants.
Fig. 1 Natural gas refinery, Southern Alberta
Read pages 362-363 in the textbook to learn more about the composition and refinement of natural gas. Note that some steps in the refinement process involve chemical reactions and some steps involve physical changes.
Check Your Understanding
Go to your textbook and complete Section 9.2 questions 1, 2, 3 4 and 10(a) on pages 372-373.
Check your answers by clicking the banner beneath.
Page 372 Section 9.2 Question 1
Methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentanes, and hexanes typically are present in natural gas before it is refined. Natural gas for home heating is almost pure methane because the other components have been removed.
Page 372 Section 9.2 Question 2
Sour natural gas contains hydrogen sulfide; sweet natural gas does not. Hydrogen sulfide is a deadly toxin and poses a major safety problem if it is not removed safely.
Page 372 Section 9.2 Question 3
To remove alkanes (other than methane) from natural gas, the natural gas is cooled under high pressure so that the alkanes with more than one carbon atom condense to a liquid.
Page 372 Section 9.2 Question 4
Page 373 Section 9.2 Question 10 (a)
The boiling point is directly proportional to the number of carbon atoms in the alkane. The relationship is almost linear. This is because the London forces become stronger with the increasing number of electrons, and the number of electrons increases by eight with each successive alkane.
Methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentanes, and hexanes typically are present in natural gas before it is refined. Natural gas for home heating is almost pure methane because the other components have been removed.
Page 372 Section 9.2 Question 2
Sour natural gas contains hydrogen sulfide; sweet natural gas does not. Hydrogen sulfide is a deadly toxin and poses a major safety problem if it is not removed safely.
Page 372 Section 9.2 Question 3
To remove alkanes (other than methane) from natural gas, the natural gas is cooled under high pressure so that the alkanes with more than one carbon atom condense to a liquid.
Page 372 Section 9.2 Question 4
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Two consumer uses for the energy obtained from natural gas are
- residential heating
- fueling barbeques and camp stoves
Two commercial uses for the energy obtained from natural gas are- fueling some taxicabs
- heating office buildings
Two industrial uses for the energy obtained from natural gas are- fueling some power plants that produce electricity
- separating bitumen from oil sand
- Production of plastic objects, wooden objects, building materials, and paper products require energy from natural gas.
Page 373 Section 9.2 Question 10 (a)
The boiling point is directly proportional to the number of carbon atoms in the alkane. The relationship is almost linear. This is because the London forces become stronger with the increasing number of electrons, and the number of electrons increases by eight with each successive alkane.