What is Oil: Definition and 575 Discussions

An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is a viscous liquid at ambient temperatures and is both hydrophobic (does not mix with water, literally "water fearing") and lipophilic (mixes with other oils, literally "fat loving"). Oils have a high carbon and hydrogen content and are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated lipids that are liquid at room temperature.
The general definition of oil includes classes of chemical compounds that may be otherwise unrelated in structure, properties, and uses. Oils may be animal, vegetable, or petrochemical in origin, and may be volatile or non-volatile. They are used for food (e.g., olive oil), fuel (e.g., heating oil), medical purposes (e.g., mineral oil), lubrication (e.g. motor oil), and the manufacture of many types of paints, plastics, and other materials. Specially prepared oils are used in some religious ceremonies and rituals as purifying agents.

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  1. G

    Real-time engine simulation - oil temperature

    Hi folks! A while ago, we discussed a real-time simulation of an oil cycle within a combustion engine. Back then I was focusing on volume flow and pressure and you were incredibly helpful in coming up with the required formulas, so thank you again for your help! I'm now moving to the next...
  2. C

    Kinematics Problem Help (accident-avoidance systems for oil tankers)

    Homework Statement Because of your technical background, you have been given a job as a student assistant in a university research laboratory that has been investigating possible accident-avoidance systems for oil tankers. Your group is concerned about oil spills in the North Atlantic caused by...
  3. S

    Millikan Oil Drop Experiment: Determining Elementary Charge

    Homework Statement Calculate the charge on each oil drop and determine the elementary charge on an electron given the following: Voltage (Attached) d (Distance between two charged plates) = 0.10m m (Of the droplet) = 1.57x10^-15 kg g = 9.8 kgm/s^2 Homework Equations q = mg*d / ΔV The Attempt...
  4. C

    I Stream inside paraffin oil when exposed to high volage

    Here is the experience: I put two electrodes inside paraffin oil (separated by at least 3cm), and submitted the electrodes to high voltage. At 20000 V - 30000 V, strong streams can be observed inside the paraffin oil. Since paraffin oil is a good dielectric, I just would like to understand the...
  5. eigenmax

    Does anyone have diffusion pump oil for sale?

    I recently bought an old diffusion pump from eBay which I'm fixing up, and need 100cc of Santovac-5 oil (polyphenyl ether) for it. Does anyone have an idea where I can get a small amount (~100cc) of it to a reasonable price? What I've found isn't either shipped to Ireland or too expensive...
  6. A

    Are all carbon composites produced from oil?

    As I understand it, carbon composites are some combo of polymers and resins, which are derived from oil(black goo from the ground) as the main raw resource. However, as this is carbon, couldn't such materials be produced also from other sources, like corpses, plants, etc? I mean, carbon is...
  7. D

    Homework question using the chain rule -- oil slick spreading on the sea....

    <Moderator's note: Moved from a technical forum and thus no template.> Question: A certain amount of oil on the sea surface can be considered as circular form and the same thickness throughout its surface. At a certain time, the following are noted Data: Oil is supplied to the spot at 5m^3/min...
  8. G

    Fluid dynamics: simulation of an oil system

    Good day folks! I am working on the simulation of an engine, and in particular the oil system makes my head ache. I already finished the calculations for viscosity and temperature, but now I'm stuck on coming up with formulas for pressure and flow rates. With what should I start? For...
  9. Abdul Wali

    Understanding Key Parameters in Transformer Oil Testing

    Hi, when it comes to Transformer Oil testing, there are some parameters that we need to consider but i don't understand their definitions and i can't find their explanations online, so may someone please define these terms for me that what these terms actually mean? the terms are as follows...
  10. P

    Can Solar Replace Oil and Meet US Energy Demands in 50 Years?

    is solar even viable way to replace oil? using just the current US joules consumption and the existing solar technology, is it possible to switch to solar if oil will run dry in say 50yrs from now? solar technology seems to be approaching some theoretical limits, somewhere around 30%...
  11. DaveC426913

    B Eco-Cooler: plausible? Or snake oil?

    This invention has made the rounds on YouTube and elsenet. In a nutshell, pop bottles embedded in a hut wall draw air in, and supposedly cool the air inside. As far as I can tell, they are claiming it is not just a cooling effect (due to increasing skin evaporation) but a temperature drop...
  12. deuce123

    Gravity problem - change in g due to oil pocket

    Homework Statement The center of a 1.40 km diameter spherical pocket of oil is 1.40 km beneath the Earth's surface. Estimate by what percentage g directly above the pocket of oil would differ from the expected value of g for a uniform Earth? Assume the density of oil is 8.0×102kg/m3. Homework...
  13. S

    Why use diesel oil in fracking?

    Without getting into the environmental controversies about fracking, why would using diesel oil in the process be useful just from an engineering standpoint? Is it used to lubricate the machinery?
  14. Asmaa Mohammad

    Is oil shale considered a biochemical sedimentary rock?

    Could we classify oil shale as a biochemical sedimentary rock ? Oil shale is a muddy rock contains Kerogen. So I think in oil shale to be a mixture of Kerogen and mud sediments, and that's not the case, for instance, with the biochemical limestone where the solid remains of the living organisms...
  15. M

    Where Can I Find Properties for Silicone Oil DC-200?

    Can anyone recommend a source to check fluid properties like surface tension, density, etc. Specifically, I'm interested in silicone oil DC-200. Thanks!
  16. Saravanakumar

    Electrical properties of standard lubrication oil (SAE)

    What are the electrical properties of standard lubrication oil (Engine oil)? Where to find? Please give the sources. I have tried my best on the internet.
  17. Delta Force

    Did the Chicxulub Area Contribute to Oil Reserves?

    Many petroleum rich areas are located within the Chicxulub impact effects radius, including Mexico, the Gulf of Mexico, Texas, and Louisiana. Cantarell, a supergiant petroleum field, is located directly within the impact crater. Did Chicxulub play any role in creating and/or preserving...
  18. G

    Rotation and balance of oil effecting Earth's rotation

    When oil is taken from the ground, it leaves a cavity that doesn't get backfilled. If material were taken from anywhere on a billiard cue ball, it would throw it out of balance. Trillions of gallons of oil have been displaced over roughly 100 years, shouldn't that affect Earth's rotation on...
  19. S

    Heating oil from -20 degrees Celcius with an immersion heater

    Hi I am planning on building an immersion heater to heat oil when it is -20 C degrees outside. I need some help calculating the heat transfer. I want to find out how long it would take to heat around 10 litres of oil from -20 degrees to 10 degrees using an immersion heater with a constant...
  20. R

    What is the Polarity of Charges in a Millikan Type Experiment?

    Homework Statement : [/B]. in a milikan type experiment there are two oil droplets P and Q between the charged horizontal plates, as shown in the figure. Droplet P is in rest while Q is moving upwards. The polarity of charges on P and Q is: P. Q a). +. + b)neutral. -...
  21. Seth Newman

    Will the clean energy industry be any different than oil?

    I was reading an article today about how Shell is discussing the move towards "cleaner" energy. This got me thinking. Eventually, most companies will be forced to move towards renewables as public opinion and natural resources become stacked against them. Many large oil and coal conglomerates...
  22. D

    Exploring the Effects of Vacuum Pressure on Boiling Oil | Dilip

    Hi, We have seen water boiling at low pressures (vacuum jars), Will Oil also boil the same way in vacuum jar? Dilip
  23. marcophys

    Is heating oil filtered to produce higher grades?

    Fuel for a paraffin/kerosene inverter heater is sold typically in 20L containers (in Europe). They all claim to be highly filtered to remove odour, and burn cleaner. Customers are also given the opportunity to pay more for different brands, but they all seem to meet the same standards. The...
  24. C

    Is the release of oil a good thing?

    Life on Earth started approximately 3.5 billion years ago. On Earth's surface there was a finite quantity of carbon, among other finite building blocks of life. Organisms absorb this carbon, then they die. After death the organisms carbon (and other life essential ingredients) are released and...
  25. A

    Can hydrocarbons in oil wells move to vacuum zones?

    if we have a vacuumed tube inserted into a reservoir of 10,000psi will the oil rise up in the vacuum tube of will it stay in place because there is no Δp?
  26. Adrianus

    What heat capacity is needed to evaporate water in oil

    Homework Statement In an industrial fryer is f.e. 400 kW. Heating capacity installed. The fryer may contain as much as 1.450 ltr of oil. I can fry 2.000 kg of chicken nuggets per hour in that. These products loose 7% of moisture/water in this process. That water can only escape from oil in gas...
  27. Especial

    Millikan Oil drop lab experiment - equation for speed of drop

    Millikan Oil drop experiment. For my current lab, we are recreating the milian oil drop experiment to measure the charge of an electron. However, we are using 1-micron diameter latex spheres in place of oil drops. Problem: I am having difficulty deriving an equation for the speed of the drop...
  28. A

    Mathematical proof for oil drilling

    hi guys, I'm supposed to write a paper and do some research on all aspects of drilling regarding torque and force need to drill an oil well and everything from start to finish and to provide mathematical proof and calculations. I don't know where to start and what are the equations used to...
  29. N

    MHB What is the radius of the oil slick after 10 minutes?

    Hi I am stuck on this integral question: An oil tanker aground on a reef is losing oil and producing an oil slick that is radiating out at a rate approximated by the function (dr/dt)=20/√t, t is greater than or equal to 1 where r is the radius of the circular slick in metres after t minutes. If...
  30. J

    Millikan oil drop experiment charge determination

    Howdy y'all! If you could help with the following question, my physics class and I would be extremely grateful. A charged oil droplet is suspended motionless between two parallel plates (d=0.01m) that are held at a potential difference V. Periodically, the charge on the droplet changes as in...
  31. B

    Medical How does coconut oil promote collagen production?

    I read on the internet that Coconut oil promotes collagen production, but my source on the internet does not say what coconut oil does to promote collagen production. I know that coconut oil is good for skin because coconut oil serves as a moisturizer. Does coconut oil only promote collagen...
  32. tensor0910

    Pressure at bottom of oil drum

    Homework Statement [/B] A vertical cylindrical container contains 5590 gallons of gasoline and is 1.38 m in radius. Due to evaporation within the tank, the pressure on the top of the fluid is 2.5 times normal atmospheric pressure. The density of gasoline is 737 kg/m3Homework EquationsThe...
  33. tensor0910

    An oil filled system- finding d

    Homework Statement [/B] An oil filled system is shown in the figure below. The density of the oil is. In the figure(Figure 1)how much force does the fluid exert on the end of the cylinder at A? Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution [/B] Solved for Poil using P = Po + F/A = 1.79 X...
  34. P

    Laser beam in oil/water, why is it easier to see beam in oil

    Hi there I have a general question. I understand the process of light through a optically denser material, slower speed etc... but why would a laser beam in oil be easier to "see" than a laser beam through water. Cheers
  35. Z

    Fluid Dynamics question -- compressibily of brake fluids "oil"

    As part of a racing community, there is a discussion going on that talks about compressibility of brake fluid. the Street car versions have a value of 6.5E-05 and the racing stuff is 4.5E-05 both at a pressure of near 5000psi. there is talk about the difference of the racing fluids which...
  36. M

    Reclaimed Oil Line Same Return Rate

    I am re-piping a oil line use for burning reclaimed oil and currently the oil returns to the tanks to the bottom of the tanks. I want to have them return to the top of the tanks to increase the mixing of the oil. My only problem is that their are two tanks that will fill up by the same oil line...
  37. J

    Exploring Buoyancy: How Ball Moves in Water, Oil and Moon Gravity

    Homework Statement 1a)How does a ball floating 50% in water move when a LARGE amount of oil is added? 1b) if something denser than water were added, how would the ball move? 1c) if the exp. was done on the moon with different gravity and no atmosphere, how would the ball move?Homework...
  38. J

    Oil & Water Problem: Ball Float 50% in Water - Why Does It Rise?

    How does a ball floating 50% in water move when a large amount of oil is added, and why? MY Solution: I think that the ball rises because when a large amount of oil is added, the oil sinks to the bottom causing the water to be pushed up, increasing the buoyant force which causes the ball to...
  39. E

    Extracting Oil from Earth: Uncovering the Process at 5km Depth

    Hello, how we get oil from Earth at 5km how we get inform that there is oil inside it?
  40. F

    Calculating Oil Flow Rate in Cast Iron Pipe

    Homework Statement calculate the flow rate at which oil (kinematic viscocity = (10^-6) (m^2) /s ) flow thru a cast iron pipe 100mm diameter and 115 m long under head difference of 5m Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution hf = 32μLV / ρg(D^2) how to get the value of μ( dynamic viscosity)...
  41. A

    Creating a Floating Oil Rig Model with Recycled Materials | Size: 60x50x50cm

    I have to make an oil rig model with the size of 60x50x50cm by using recycled materials and weight will be added from 1 kg to 10 kg depends on its stability. How can I make this model float? thank you
  42. K

    Millikan oil drop experiment

    Homework Statement When Millikan first performed this experiment, he used water droplets instead of oil. He found he could not suspend the droplets; they would start to move up. Why did this happen? Homework Equations N/A The Attempt at a Solution The water droplets would have been so small...
  43. Sirsh

    What is the buoyancy force of an oil-filled balloon tethered in water?

    I have a hypothetical scenario I'd like to try understand, and I cannot find anything of the sort online nor in the forums. If I have a balloon of 1 m3 filled with oil, of a density of 850 kg/m3. Now I place this balloon in a body of water and tether it to a fixed point, how can I find the...
  44. O

    About to study Mechanical engineering - Renewables vs oil

    I'm Currently 19 and I'm starting University this coming September, and I've received a place at the University of Edinburgh to do Mechanical engineering. Now, I've always been fascinated about big heavy industrial applications of mechanical engineering such as oil rigs and I've never really...
  45. K

    Honeycomb structure of oil due to an electric field

    Hi, I've been working on a problem for some time now and I can't figure out why exactly this happens, and I've been looking for some insight. The phenomenon can be seen in this video. We can see that the oil rearranges itself due to a high-voltage electric field. Thinking about this, my...
  46. R

    Entropy change mixing oil and water question

    My question is: when oil and water from separate containers are poured into the same container and given time to equilibrate, is the entropy change positive, negative, or zero? I've been told that there is zero change in entropy because the water and oil do not mix at all. However, I suspect...
  47. H

    Ultrasonic extraction of essential oil from ginger

    i just choose this topic for my final year project where i need to search and conducting an experiment to determine its effectiveness. But since i am so lack of knowledge for this particular scientific experiment, i would like maybe a further explanatory here. Any thoughts or ideas about this...
  48. Stephanus

    Biodiesel from Used Cooking Oil: Is the Pollution Lower?

    Dear PF Forum, I have searched biodiesel through internet. There are good answers there. And also in Physics Forum, and I come across these two links from PF Forum, which are a very good links. http://biodiesel.org/ http://nbb.org/ And I also consulted LIPI (Indonesian Science Establishment)...
  49. Q

    Constructive/Destructive Interference in a Thin Oil Film

    Hi PhysicsForums, Here's a thin film interference question I'm having problems with. An oil film (n=1.50) floats on a water body (n=1.33) in an air environment. Normal incident white light is reflected by the oil film. But in the spectrum of reflected light, 500nm and 700nm light are missing...
  50. A

    Can Boric Acid or Detergents Increase the Density of Silicone Oil?

    Hi everyone, I am looking for a way to densify silicone oil. Foolishly, I tried to dissolve Calcium Chloride but as well all know, salt will not dissolve in oil. If anyone has any knowledge as to how I can increase the density of silicone oil I would greatly appreciate your input.
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