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. D

    Convective heat transfer coefficients of fuel oil?

    I'm setting up a thermal resistance network to determine the heat loss through the insulated wall of a heated fuel/crude oil tank but i can't seem to find values for the convective heat transfer coefficient of the fuel oil (kerosene) or the crude oil at elevated temperatures. I have only found...
  2. A

    Calculating Volume Flow Rate of Olive Oil at a Processing Plant

    Homework Statement At a processing plant, olive oil of density 875 kg/m3 flows in a horizontal section of hose that constricts from a diameter of 2.92 cm to a diameter of 1.20 cm. Assume steady, ideal flow. What is the volume flow rate if the change in pressure between the two sections of hose...
  3. Geoesque

    Change of g due to oil deposit

    Homework Statement The center of a 1.00 km diameter spherical pocket of oil is 1.00 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*10^2 (800) kg/m^3...
  4. R

    How to calculate volume of oil released from a pinhole ?

    How to calculate volume of oil spill release from a pinhole of pipeline? I don't find anything about applicable method to solve this case (pinhole leakage), i just find calculation of pipeline rupture Thank You
  5. G

    Change in gravity due to oil deposit

    Homework Statement "A mining company finds gravity is 2 parts in 10^7 less over a certain area. Assume there is an oil deposit 3000m below. Take the density of rock to be 3000 kg/m^3, and the density of oil to be 1000 kg/m^3. Estimate the mass of the deposit, assumed spherical." Homework...
  6. U

    Slipping 4WD Mobile Vehicle Wheels Without Oil or Water

    Hello Everyone, I have a 4WD mobile vehicle, I am trying to get the wheel to slip in the floor. I don't want to use oil or any water product (for my electronic safety and to keep the floor less messy) Any idea how to make the wheel slip on the floor? I was thinking about using snowboard...
  7. T

    Capacitors and Dielectric Oil: Calculating Electric Displacement and Field

    Homework Statement (a) Calculate the Electric displacement of parallel plate capacitor of with a thickness d (in z), and length L (in x), and a width W (in y). Within the capacitor is a dielectric oil with a dielectric constant –εr , and the charge on the plates is ± q. (b) Using the...
  8. zoobyshoe

    At what point has the oil gone bad?

    I'm now driving a '72 VW Beetle and by all accounts the oil must be changed in this car much more often than in cars with other types of engine. This engine has no oil filter. There is a coarse strainer, but particles would have to be quite big for this to come into play. I have been...
  9. P

    External oil cooling system (calc & design)

    Hi everyone! I need some guidelines on how to calculate and design an external oil cooling system (the oil cooler is located outside of the oil tub) for a thrust bearing. Could you please give me some links to standards, handbooks, manuals etc to start with? Thank you.
  10. G

    Heating Sand, Oil, Paraffin, and Salt Water in a Microwave

    If I tightly packed oily sand in my microwave and turned it on would it heat the sand and oil? If paraffin and salt water were present would it heat everything? Could I send the microwaves to the oven from 1 mile away thru a piece of metal conduit?
  11. Stephanus

    Can Plastic Be Made Without Oil?

    Can plastic be made NOT FROM oil? And not from remains of living organic matter. I mean, we extract carbon from atmosphere CO2 or from the rock... Oxygen from atmosphere or sea water... Hydrogen from sea water... Nitrogen from atmosphere or other sources... Combine them together and voila, we...
  12. K

    Synthetic oil vs two stroke/cycle oil

    What is the difference in oils between "synthetic oil" and "two stroke/cycle oil", bearing in mind I known 2 cycle is for 2 strokes. "Synthetic oil" doesn't seem very specific and I don't know whether to use this instead of 2 cycle for any kind of engine and just for general use. And talking...
  13. gfd43tg

    Maximize crude oil chain weekly profit

    Homework Statement Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution I sort of want to make this into a linear program problem, but I think that it should be solvable without it, since I never learned about it in this particular course. I will just work with Fuel Process 1 as an example, and I can...
  14. Z

    How a microwave seems to heat oil just as well as water

    I always understood that a microwave oven heated things by the microwaves (wavelength about 10cm) vibrating the polar water molecules so they try to line up with the flipping electromagnetic field and they then impart their agitation to the surrounding matter of the food. Now if this story...
  15. B

    Oil Fired Boiler Steam exam revision question

    Homework Statement See image attached, have completed the parts a and b using steam tables and interpolation and got the answers a) Wet steam h at 10.5 bar: h = 2378 kj/kg b) Superheated steam at 10.5 bar @ 285 Degrees Celsius: h = 3018.12 kj/kg Which I believe to be correct now, parts c,d...
  16. B

    Steam Tables: Oil fired boiler questions

    Homework Statement This is from a practice mechanical science exam for HNC engineering. See attachment for the question sheet off a practice exam. I have no idea how to do this after the a and b parts and my answers for which are below the question (underlined), any suggestions or solutions...
  17. J

    Solving the Mystery of Wavelength Refraction: A Thin 200nm Film of Oil

    Homework Statement http://lon-capa.bd.psu.edu/res/psuerie/gwb6/physics/optics/e1p4.png A thin 200nm film of oil (n = 2.0) floats on water (n = 1.33). To a normal human, what wavelength will the film appear when viewed from above (nearly perpendicular to the film)? Homework Equations for...
  18. Y

    Boosting Oil Pressure with a Pressure Booster: The Science Behind It

    Hello, I am trying to design a hydro penumatic circuit. I have shop air at 80 Psi. I need hydraulic pressure of 160 PSI. So I am using pressure booster/Intensifier to pressurise it. there will be air on one side of intensifier and oil on other side of it. my question is if I block path of oil...
  19. X

    Fluids, mass of object floating over oil above water

    Homework Statement Wooden qube with 12cm faces floating inside water and oil in 2 layers. The oil floats over the water. Water density: 1gr/cm cubed Oil density: 0.8 gr/cm cubed What is the mass of the cube. Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution F(buoyancy) = g*(density)*volume , but...
  20. Suraj M

    Calculating RI of Oil w.r.t Air with Apparent Depth of Liquid

    Homework Statement This is how my teacher dictated the question... ---A layer of oil 3 cm thick is floating on a layer of coloured water 5 cm thick, the RI of the coloured water with respect to the oil is ##\frac{5}{3}##. The apparent depth of the liquid is ##\frac{36}{7} cm##. What is the RI...
  21. X

    Oil & Water Film: Min Thickness of 313nm

    Homework Statement A thin film of oil (n = 1.50) is spread over a puddle of water (n = 1.33). In a region where the film looks red from directly above (λ = 626 nm), what is the minimum possible thickness of the film? Homework Equations 2nt = (m+0.5)λ t = (m+0.5)λ/2n The Attempt at a...
  22. J

    How to reduce the flammability of crude oil?

    P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Hi,I am currently working on a project on “safety for transportation of crude oil”, I don't have technical background in chemical and material science that is why I need some expert opinions.1- is there and process, chemical or material that can be added to a oil...
  23. P

    Calculating total bulk modulus of cylinder, piston and oil

    Hello, I have been thinking about following problem: I have some kind of piston and cylinder with oil. I know the pressure in oil. Let's say it is 500bar. I would want to know how much is displacement of piston. Let's say bulk modulus of oil is 3Gpa. Let's also say that bulk modulus of...
  24. T

    Learning About Reciprocating Compressors for Oil & Gas Engineers

    Dear All, I am a mechanical engineer who has recently started working in the oil& gas industry (compression). I would appreciate if someone can guide me to where can I learn about reciprocating compressors. Much appreciated.
  25. P

    Calculate mass of oil droplet between parallel plates

    Homework Statement A droplet of oil, carrying an extra charge of one electron, is held motionless between parallel plates separated by 1.89 cm, with a potential difference of 39.8 kV. What is the mass of the droplet? 2. Homework Equations E=0.5QV C=Q/V The Attempt at a Solution Really...
  26. T

    I need information on centres of mass

    Hi I am doing an assignment where I roll a tin can filled with car oil. This will affect its rolling because it distorts its centre of mass, resulting in an awkward rolling motion. I have already done the experiment, the first revolution is the slowest one by a lot because it slows down a lot...
  27. D

    Fossil Fuels vs. Natural Gas: Carbon Emissions Explained

    Hi there, Could someone explain to me why fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, produce fewer particulate matter emissions than natural gas? Also, how would you expect the combustion temperature of these fuels to affect particulate emissions? Would a higher temperature lead to a more complete...
  28. P

    Will a Jerrycan with oil sink?

    Hi I am writing a movie script and have a question. I you fasten a metal chain to a 20 Liter Jerrycan (pressed steel) and fill it to the brim wit oil, and you then fasten the chain to the ancle of a man (fully clothed) and throw him over board.. Will he sink rapidly? Or will the Jerrycan...
  29. G

    Driving an Oil Tanker Truck on Curvy Roads

    Dear Friends! I want to know the experience of driver of the oil container(tanker) truck shown in two forms while driving on a road with curves at varying speeds. 1.When container has no partition. 2.When container is partitioned but contains same quantity of oil.
  30. H

    The center of a 1.00 km diameter spherical pocket of oil

    Homework Statement The center of a 1.00 km diameter spherical pocket of oil is 1.00 km beneath the Earth's surface[/B]. 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*102 kg/m3...
  31. Y

    Oil Drop Electric Field Problem

    Homework Statement An oil drop is charged negatively. How much charge is on the drop if the Electric Field is 6,400 N/C at a distance of 1.2 m? Homework Equations E=k q/r^2 I don't know if I should be using that equation for this one. The Attempt at a Solution I tried to do E/(k x r^2) = q...
  32. T

    Reaction with sodium bromide, chlorine water and mineral oil

    Homework Statement Net ionic equation for sodium bromide and chlorine water with mineral oil 2. None 3. The Attempt at a Solution Br-aq + Cl-aq → Br-aq + Cl-aq or Br-aq + Cl2aq → Br2aq + Cl-aq Not sure if a halogen in water is an ion or not and can't seem to find good information online...
  33. W

    Crude Oil Properties: Density, Viscosity, Heat Capacity, Wall Temp

    Hi there I need to know the density, viscosity, heat capacity,and temperature for the oil or crud oil? Also I need to know the wall temperature for pipe? Can anyone help me please ?
  34. H

    Object floating on water with oil poured in

    Homework Statement A block of wood floats in a bucket filled with water. You pour some oil into the bucket. The oil floats on top of the water and that a part of the block is now in water, part is in oil, and part is in air. What happened to the volume of the block that is in air when you put...
  35. Astronuc

    News BP, found grossly negligent, in April 2010 oil spill

    http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-bp-reckless-gulf-oil-spill-20140904-story.html Reckless misconduct. Hmmmmm.
  36. J

    MHB Finding the approximate diameter of an oil molecule

    How do you solve a question like this ? :you can obtain a rough estimate of the following simple experiment-let a droplet of oil spread out on a fairly large but smooth water surface .the resulting oil slick that forms On the surface of the water will be approximately one molecule thick. Given...
  37. N

    Hot Air to Cold Oil Heat Exchanger

    Working on a project where we have been asked to utilize waste heat from a combustion process in order to increase the temperature of oil in a separate process. The hot air from combustion is at 340C and the oil is at 22C with a target temperature of 65C I have not seen any hot air heat...
  38. V

    The right method to put an oil seal in a housing

    i have a question, when i put a oil seal in a housing, should i put grease between the housing and the oil seal? because that is more easy to out in. Can explain the theory to me please?
  39. V

    My engine oil is green color. Its normal?

    today i did a oil change on my outboard engine. i found out the oil is green, its normal? If yes, why the oil will be green color? because i fill the new oil is golden color.
  40. Govind_Balaji

    What happens when I burn Gingelly oil, which was already fried?

    Homework Statement What happens when I burn Gingelly oil, which was already fried? Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution Actually this is not a homework question. This is just my curiosity. I don't want to experiment it at my home if it is explosive or may release Carbon...
  41. B

    Fish oil pills to help with anger management

    I have read in multiple sources on the internet and in books that taking fish oil pills can help a person with anger management. According to my sources, it is the omega 3 fatty acids in the fish oil pills that help with anger management. What my sources don't say is how the omega 3 fatty...
  42. G

    Oil pump velocity calculation

    Homework Statement This problem is regarding an oil suction pipe, pipe A is the the suction pipe and pipe B is the delivery pipe. There is a pump in between which supplies a head of 11.3m. The pressure in pipe A is atmospheric and the pressure in pipe B is 850kPa. The vertical...
  43. R

    Help in force-pressure transfer through oil

    Hi Guys, It Is me again, I am working in the design of a packaging for a MEMS sensor, the package is a oil-based diaphragm, who is basically a chamber that in the bottom has a pressure sensor, the sensor is in the chamber of oil completelly cover by oil, in the other extreme of the chamber...
  44. D

    Can biofuel replace petro oil, or can petro oil be farm produce?

    Is bio-fuel the answer for man's problems, or can we produce petro rather fighting over it?
  45. S

    Looking for Economic data on oil exports and imports

    I was wondering if anyone could recommend a source for economic data where I can find a list of countries with where they export oil to, and how much per year. I use Mathematica, but their "CountryData" function doesn't have the functionality to do this.
  46. C

    Bernoulli's with Resistances - model flow between oil filters

    Bernoulli's with Resistances -- model flow between oil filters Hey guys, It's been a while since I was in school and practicing this stuff daily, so bear with me please! I'm a BSME and I want to model up flow between oil filters. Currently we use a single oil filter with the same pump...
  47. M

    Reflection of Light by Oil on Water

    Right, so, I am new to this, so please excuse me if I make a glaring error. Say there is can of water with a layer on oil on the surface. Light (of lambda=590nm) is shone straight down on the oil. How do I find out the thickness of the oil layer that would most strongly reflect the light?
  48. O

    Oil drop experiment electron charge

    The problem is based on the experiment conducted by Millikan to find the elementary charge. In the experiment, charged oil droplets are suspended between two charged plates with a known electric field between them. In this way, the charge of each droplet can be calculated (the mass is known)...
  49. curious bishal

    Millikan's oil drop experiment

    What is the use of X-ray in Millikan's oil drop experiment? It ionises the oil but what does the ionisation help in? If it creates charge, then the oil's charge keep on increasing it creates error in calculation as the oil drop is attracted upward after sufficient amount of charge.
  50. D

    Chemistry Amount of moles emitted by burning oil

    Homework Statement Calculate the number of moles of CO2 that are emitted into the atmosphere per year due to the total energy consumption on Earth (16TW). Note: 1kg oil yields 42MJ and for oil C:H ' 1:2. I don't know how to calculate how many grams/moles of CO2 are emitted by burning 1kg of...
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