Asphalt

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/asphalt

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the chemical composition?A complex mixture of hydrocarbons, primarily asphaltenes and maltenes
2. What is the source?Residue from crude oil refining or found in natural deposits
3. What is asphalt and where does it come from?Asphalt is a sticky black material called bitumen, made from the heavy leftover after refining crude oil or found naturally in places like the La Brea Tar Pits.
4. Why do roads get hot when they are made?Asphalt is heated to about 150-180°C so it becomes fluid and can mix with gravel, then it hardens when it cools to form a strong road.

Bitumen: The viscous, black, semi-solid hydrocarbon binder derived from petroleum or found naturally.
Aggregate: Inert granular materials (sand, gravel, crushed stone) that form the bulk of asphalt concrete.
Asphalt Concrete: A composite material consisting of bitumen binder and mineral aggregates, widely used for paving.
Asphaltenes: The heaviest, most polar components of bitumen, contributing to its binding properties and viscosity.