Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Water (pure substance)
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Pour point and freezing point are low-temperature properties used to describe handling limits of liquids. In petroleum products, these values differ because of complex mixtures and wax crystallization. For a pure substance like water, the behavior is simpler and the two limits coincide under standard equilibrium conditions.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
Petroleum fractions contain multi-component waxes and asphaltenes, so pour point depends on wax network formation and can be well above any single-component freezing point. In contrast, pure water solidifies at a fixed temperature, and the inability to flow aligns with its freezing point, making pour and freezing points effectively equal.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Verification / Alternative check:
Standard test methods (ASTM D97 for pour point, water freezing at 0 degree C at 1 atm) confirm the equivalence for water but divergence for petroleum mixtures.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Petrol, diesel, crude: Multi-component systems with wax or light ends; pour point is an operational flow limit and does not equal a unique freezing point.
Common Pitfalls:
Assuming pour point is a thermodynamic property like freezing point; it is an empirical flow property highly formulation-dependent.
Final Answer:
Water (pure substance)
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