Oil

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

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/oil

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 classification?Nonpolar organic compounds, primarily hydrocarbons
2. What is the formation process?Geological transformation of organic matter under heat and pressure
3. What is oil and why does it not mix with water?Oil is made of hydrocarbons, which are molecules of hydrogen and carbon. These molecules are hydrophobic, meaning they repel water, so oil stays separate from water.
4. How does oil form deep inside the Earth?Oil starts from dead plankton and algae that settle on the sea floor. Over millions of years, layers of sediment bury them, and heat and pressure turn them into liquid oil.

Hydrocarbons: Organic molecules composed solely of hydrogen and carbon atoms, forming the basis of petroleum and natural gas.
Lipophilic: Possessing an affinity for fats and oils; capable of dissolving in lipids.
Petrochemical: Chemical products derived from petroleum or natural gas, serving as building blocks for numerous industrial materials.