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Cracking of Hydrocarbons.

After fractional distillation of crude oil there are too many large hydrocarbons
and not enough small hydrocarbons to meet the public's demand.
Some of the large hydrocarbons (the heavier fractions)
are broken down into more useful smaller hydrocarbons (lighter fractions)
by a process known as cracking.

Cracking results in the formation
of smaller, more useful alkanes (such as petrol),
and even more useful alkenes (such as ethene).

The fractions of crude oil consist almost entirely of alkanes.
Cracking is the main source of alkenes (see also dehydration of ethanol).

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