How does natural gas differ from propane?

1 Answer
May 15, 2018

Natural gas is a natural mixture of gases. propane is a pure substance produced by manmade distillation of petroleum products.

Explanation:

Natural gas is natural as the name implies. Oil deposits are associated with volatile gases from the natural decomposition of the petroleum products. Natural gas comes from the collection of these gases emitting from the oil deposits.

Natural gas since it is a natural product is not pure. It is a mixture of volatile hydrocarbons. The lighter hydrocarbons make up natural gas. These lighter hydrocarbons are mainly methane, as well as ethane , propane and butane. Also mixed with the hydrocarbons are small amounts of impurities such as nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide, hydrogensulphide, and water.

Propane is also made of a hydrocarbon. The more liquid petroleum is fractionally distilled. Propane # C_3H_8# has a molar mass of 44 grams/mole. All the gases coming off of the petroleum with this mass are captured and condensed under pressure. The result is pure substance propane that is a hydrocarbon with three carbons.

Natural gas is a naturally occurring mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons. Propane is a pure 3 Carbon hydrocarbon produced by man.