Distinguish between cracking and reforming. Of what importance are the two processes in the petroleum industry?

 Distinguish between cracking and reforming. Of what importance are the two processes in the petroleum industry?

Solution:

Cracking means the conversion of the higher boiling hydrocarbon fractions (i.e. large molecules) to lower boiling ones (smaller molecules) while reforming is reshaping or re-arranging the molecules.

(ii) Importance of the two processes is that both cracking and reforming processes are mechanisms used in petroleum industry to convert the fractions of less demand into the more demanded fractions.

QUESTION SOURCE: WAEC 1988 THEORY QUESTION  9(i)(ii)