Question

To make polyethylene, Its monomer ethylene must first be synthesized from fossil fuels.
Petroleum and natural gas are broken into smaller molecules through a process called steam cracking. During this process, fossil fuels are heated to temperatures up to 900°C. Large carbon-based molecules are broken apart, or "cracked," to produce small molecules like ethane. Once ethane is made, it decomposes due to the high temperatures to make hydrogen gas and ethylene.
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Challenge
Stage 2 of 2
ethane
C,H6
hydrogen
H,
ethylene
C,H,
Select the true statements.
Hydrogen gas reacts with ethane to make ethylene.
The synthesis of ethylene is a chemical,change.
High temperatures are required to make ethylene.
Steam cracking breaks smaller molecules into larger molecules.

Answers

GPT-4o mini
Based on the information provided, let's evaluate each statement:

1. **Hydrogen gas reacts with ethane to make ethylene.**
This statement is **false**. The process described indicates that ethane decomposes to produce hydrogen gas and ethylene, not that hydrogen gas reacts with ethane to create ethylene.

2. **The synthesis of ethylene is a chemical change.**
This statement is **true**. The transformation of ethane to ethylene involves breaking and forming chemical bonds, which constitutes a chemical change.

3. **High temperatures are required to make ethylene.**
This statement is **true**. The synthesis of ethylene through the thermal cracking of ethane requires high temperatures (up to 900°C).

4. **Steam cracking breaks smaller molecules into larger molecules.**
This statement is **false**. Steam cracking actually breaks larger carbon-based molecules into smaller molecules, such as ethylene and ethane.

So, the true statements are:
- The synthesis of ethylene is a chemical change.
- High temperatures are required to make ethylene.

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