Overview

Petroleum (peh-TRO-lee-yum) is a mixture, not a compound. Mixtures differ from compounds in a number of important ways. The parts that make up a mixture are not chemically combined with each other, as they are in a compound. Also, mixtures have no definite composition, but consist of varying amounts of the substances of which they are formed.

Key Facts

Other Names:

Crude oil; oil

Formula:

Not applicable

Elements:

Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, other elements

Compound Type:

Not applicable

State:

Liquid

Molecular Weight:

Not applicable

Melting Point:

Not applicable

Boiling Point:

Not applicable

Solubility:

Not miscible with water; miscible with most organic solvents

Petroleum is a very complex mixture of hydrocarbons-compounds that consist of carbon and hydrogen only. Small amounts of other organic compounds containing oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorus, and other elements are also present. The hydrocarbons that make up petroleum include the alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, cyclic hydrocarbons, and...