Petroleum processing: identify the separation method described Process description: evaporate and condense the component with the lowest boiling point first, then the next higher, and so on, recovering liquid fuels separately in order of boiling point. Choose the correct process name.

ConceptThe described stepwise separation by boiling points is fractional distillation, using a fractionating column to draw products at different temperature levels (e.g., gasoline, kerosene, diesel, etc.).

Why not others?Cracking chemically breaks larger hydrocarbons into smaller ones; carbonisation produces coke by heating coal in absence of air; 'full distillation' is not a standard process term.

Final Answerfractional distillation