Naphtha facts for kids

Naphtha is a special type of liquid that comes from crude oil. Think of crude oil as a thick, dark liquid found deep underground. When crude oil is processed in big factories called refineries, it's separated into many different useful parts. Naphtha is one of these important parts.

It's made of hydrocarbons, which are chemicals mostly made of hydrogen and carbon atoms. Naphtha is very important because it's used to make gasoline for cars, especially the kind that helps engines run smoothly (this is called high octane gasoline). It's also a key ingredient for making olefins, which are building blocks for many plastics and other chemicals. Naphtha can also be used as a solvent, which means it can dissolve other substances.

What is Naphtha?

Naphtha is a group of different liquid hydrocarbons that are produced when crude oil is refined. Refining crude oil means heating it up and separating it into different parts based on their boiling points. Naphtha is one of the parts that boils at a certain temperature range. It's not just one chemical, but a mix of many similar chemicals.

How Naphtha is Used

Naphtha is a very useful substance in many industries. Here are some of its main uses:

• Making Gasoline: A big part of naphtha is turned into gasoline for cars. It helps create high-octane gasoline, which makes car engines run more efficiently.
• Chemical Building Block: The petrochemical industry uses naphtha to make important chemicals called olefins. Olefins are like tiny building blocks that are used to create many everyday products, including different types of plastics, rubber, and other chemicals.
• Solvent: Naphtha is a good solvent, meaning it can dissolve other things. Because of this, it's used in many cleaning products.
• Other Uses:
  • It can be found in some cleaning fluids.
  • It's an ingredient in some Shoe polishes.
  • It's used as a fuel in some lighters.
  • Historically, it might have been one of the ingredients in Greek fire, a mysterious ancient weapon.

Images for kids

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  White gas, exemplified by Coleman Camp Fuel, is a common naphtha-based fuel used in many lanterns and torches

See also

In Spanish: Nafta para niños