Asphalt Questions and
Complete Solutions Graded A+
How are Natural Asphalts formed? - Answer: When crude petroleum oils rose to the earths surface and
formed pools, The action of the sun and wind drove off the lighter oils and gases, leaving a heavy
residue.
What are the differences in asphalt and tar? - Answer: Asphalt- a dark brown black cementitious
material, solid or semisolid in consistency, in which the predominating constituents are bitumens which
occur in nature such as or are obtained as residue in refining petroleum.
Tar-brown or black bituminous material, liquid or semisolid in consistency, in which the predominating
constituents are bitumens obtained by condensates in the destructive distillation of coal, petroleum, oil,
shale, wood, or other organic materials, and which yields substantial quantities of pitch when distilled.
What are bituminous materials? - Answer: Mixture of hydrocarbons of natural or pyrogenous origin or
combinations of both, frequently accompanied by their nonmetallic derivatives, which are completely
soluble in carbon disulfide.
What are the classifications of petroleum crude oil, based on their asphalt content? - Answer: 1)
Asphaltic base crude (almost entirely asphalt)
2) Paraffin base crude (contains paraffin but no asphalt)
3) Mixed base crude (contains both paraffin and asphalt)
5) How is the percentage of asphalt in a crude oil determined? - Answer: Amount of asphalt obtained
from a crude oil is based on its API gravity. The higher the gravity the lower asphalt and vise versa
6) What distillation process is used to produce asphalt? - Answer: Typical crude oil is produced through a
distillation tower. The crude oil is heated to 650 degrees to 700 degrees and fed into the atmospheric
tower. Materials will rise based on their boiling points and the residual, heavy material is the asphalt
binder.
Complete Solutions Graded A+
How are Natural Asphalts formed? - Answer: When crude petroleum oils rose to the earths surface and
formed pools, The action of the sun and wind drove off the lighter oils and gases, leaving a heavy
residue.
What are the differences in asphalt and tar? - Answer: Asphalt- a dark brown black cementitious
material, solid or semisolid in consistency, in which the predominating constituents are bitumens which
occur in nature such as or are obtained as residue in refining petroleum.
Tar-brown or black bituminous material, liquid or semisolid in consistency, in which the predominating
constituents are bitumens obtained by condensates in the destructive distillation of coal, petroleum, oil,
shale, wood, or other organic materials, and which yields substantial quantities of pitch when distilled.
What are bituminous materials? - Answer: Mixture of hydrocarbons of natural or pyrogenous origin or
combinations of both, frequently accompanied by their nonmetallic derivatives, which are completely
soluble in carbon disulfide.
What are the classifications of petroleum crude oil, based on their asphalt content? - Answer: 1)
Asphaltic base crude (almost entirely asphalt)
2) Paraffin base crude (contains paraffin but no asphalt)
3) Mixed base crude (contains both paraffin and asphalt)
5) How is the percentage of asphalt in a crude oil determined? - Answer: Amount of asphalt obtained
from a crude oil is based on its API gravity. The higher the gravity the lower asphalt and vise versa
6) What distillation process is used to produce asphalt? - Answer: Typical crude oil is produced through a
distillation tower. The crude oil is heated to 650 degrees to 700 degrees and fed into the atmospheric
tower. Materials will rise based on their boiling points and the residual, heavy material is the asphalt
binder.
