Uses Of Pitch And Asphalt

Discussion in 'Chemistry' started by chikis, Feb 1, 2012.

  1. chikis Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    328
    Here is question in objective form. I have tried answering it but am confused with the answer I got.
    Instruction: shade A if only IV is correct. Shade B if only I and III are correct. Shade C if only III and IV are correct. Shade D if I, II, III are correct. Shade E if only I, II, III and IV are correct.
    The question:
    pitch and asphalt are residual products from the fractional distilation of petroleum. These substances are used as I. protective coatings for road surfaces. II. binding agents for roofing materials. III. organic solvent. IV. catalyst cracking.
    If this problem is set before you, which of the options lettered A-E will you shade and why. Please explain in detail. Thank you.
     
  2. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  3. arauca Banned Banned

    Messages:
    4,564
    ( d ) I believe the asphalt can be distillated farther to get other high boiling solvents.
     
  4. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  5. chikis Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    328
    By choosing d, you mean that option i, ii and iii are correct for the pitch and asphalt uses. Isn't it.
     
  6. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  7. arauca Banned Banned

    Messages:
    4,564
    Yes to my understanding
     
  8. chikis Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    328
    Yes I agree with you quite alright because you have made me to understand that aspalt can be distilate further to get other high boiling solvent.
    The option iv, 'catalalyst for cracking' does not in anyway fall into the uses of pitch and asphalt or does it?
    Though some question and answer booklet can be misleading. The question and answer booklet I got this question from sugest the answer to be B, meaning that option i and iii are correct only for the uses of pitch and aspalt. I then thought to myself how come only two options (i and iii) are chosen from all the four options (i, ii, iii and iv) provided which may fall into the possible correct uses of pitch and asphalt. That's what made me to forward the question to the forum so that we can analyse it together. Can we now conclud that the answer B, provided at the answer page of my question and answer booklet is wrong?
     
  9. chikis Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    328
    I know that pitch and asphalt are residual products from the fractional distilation of coal which can be used for the following:
    I. protective coating for road surfaces.
    II. binding agents for roofing materials.
    III. organic solvents.
    Because I read that from my chemistry text book. Since I have been reading my chemistry texts book, I have never came across any part where pitch or asphalt is used as a catalyst, talkless of catalyst for cracking or is there any?
    Judging from my statements above, I choose option I, II and III as correct for the uses of pitch and asphalt and IV not correct for the uses of pitch and asphalt, therefore wrong.
    The above is my own opinion, anyperson who has a contrary view to my opinion is free to come in let's discuss with the hope of arriving at the correct answer. Thank you as you forward in your replies.
     
  10. hypervalent_iodine Registered Member

    Messages:
    8
    That's correct. Asphalt is used on roads, pitch is used in roofing (and roads as well IIRC) and pet spirit is a common organic solvent. I'm confused by the term catalyst cracking, however. Did you mean catalytic cracking? There are some catalysts used for that, but none of your listed compounds would fall under that category.
     
  11. chikis Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    328
    Yes, I mean catalytic cracking.
     
  12. hypervalent_iodine Registered Member

    Messages:
    8
    As the catalysts or the substrates?
     
  13. chikis Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    328
    I don't understand what mean by "As the catalysts or the substrates"
     
  14. arauca Banned Banned

    Messages:
    4,564

    Let say your asphalt is the substrate, Catalyst is an additive , say alumina , as the asphalt melts in the pot in presence of the catalyst ( alumina ) the molecular weight of your Asphalt ( is a mixture ) will be reduced and so you can distill more volatile hydrocarbons
     
  15. chikis Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    328
    That's not the question. The question is:
    Can pitch and asphalt be used as catalys in the cracking of hydrocarbons?
     
  16. hypervalent_iodine Registered Member

    Messages:
    8
    That's a rather confusing way to put it.

    chikis, in chemistry, a catalyst is something that you add to a reaction that is said to drive it but not participate in it. That's a little bit of a lie, however, and certainly not a good way to view it. Catalysts do in fact participate in a given reaction to a certain degree (otherwise, why would they be added at all?). The difference is that they are regenerated and can be recycled in the reaction and do not appear in the product, which typically means you can use substoicheometric amounts.

    When I say substrates, what I mean is this. Let's say we have some reaction that proceeds as follows:

    A + B --> C

    We have a compound, A, and another compound, B, that react to form a product, C. In this, we would say that A and B are the substrates that react to form C.

    The answer to which is a simple no. Pitch and asphalt are not catalysts - they are the hydrocarbons.
     
  17. chikis Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    328
    Thank you for that simple answer.
     
  18. rcscwc Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    721
    I am not going into your "shades" or other replies.

    Pitch is a residue of dry ditillation of coal.

    Bitumen is a residue of distllitation of petroloeum.

    Pitch is practically insoluble in petroleum derivatives, hence it is used in parking lots. Or should be.

    Flash point of pitch is much higher than bitumen.

    Do you know that nalpam has pitch?
     
  19. chikis Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    328
    What do you mean by nalpam?
     
  20. chikis Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    328
    Have you ever come across where asphalt is being acted upon by a catalyst (alumina) to produce more volatile hydrocarbons or you are just making an illustration?
     
  21. Aqueous Id flat Earth skeptic Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    6,152
    I think he meant "napalm".
     
  22. chikis Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    328
    Forget about the meaning of nalpalm and see if you can answer my question on post #17.
     
  23. Aqueous Id flat Earth skeptic Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    6,152
    Nothing comes to mind.
     

Share This Page