Crude Oil and Hydrocarbons

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing key terms and definitions regarding hydrocarbons, crude oil formation, and methane from lecture notes.

Hydrocarbon

A compound made of only hydrogen and carbon.

Crude Oil

A mixture formed millions of years ago from the remains of microscopic organisms that sank to the bottom of ancient seas and were trapped in rock under layers of sediment.

Methane

A compound ($CH_4$) containing one carbon atom covalently bonded to four hydrogen atoms.

Natural Gas

A hydrocarbon trapped in rock along with crude oil, formed over time from dead organisms covered by sediments.