Cracking is used in the oil industry to break large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller molecules?

Cracking involes a thermal decomposition reaction.


State what must be done to make a thermal decomposition take place?Cracking is used in the oil industry to break large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller molecules?
Cracking requires catalystsCracking is used in the oil industry to break large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller molecules?
Thermal decomposition is not the whole story. Industry also uses alumina and various other catalysts to break down the long chains of kerosene and diesel fuel range feedstocks into 8-10 carbon materials for gasoline


production. There is some carbon production in the process, but it is (theoretically) kept to a minimum.
There are two types of crackings,





1) Thermal cracking - just heat the large hydrocarbon to a certain temperature and it will break into smaller molecules. A higher temperature is needed.





2) Catalytic cracking - heat the large hydrocarbon together with a catalyst. A lower temperature is able to initiate the reaction. The common catalyst used is alumina.
Everything you ever wanted to know about


1. Refining


2. Cracking