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. M

    Black Oil - Why Does It Appear All Colors?

    Black oil - colours? [b]1. How does black oil on a windscreen appear to be all colours? [b]2. Is it because black absorbs all frequencies of light? [b]3. I'm not sure how to answer this question can anyone help?
  2. edpell

    News How Will Mexico's Government Adapt to Depleted Oilfields and Reduced Revenue?

    What will the government of Mexico do in ten year when the oilfields of Mexico have been largely depleted and there is no (very very little) oil money to fund the Mexican government?
  3. G

    Why is Oil so Crucial in Energy Generation and Plastic Production?

    What is so special about oil that it is used for - energy generation - plastic production - ...? What are possible replacements for oil as it is used today?
  4. MacLaddy

    Does Oil Viscosity Impact Low Temperature Stirling Engine Performance?

    I have been doing a bit of research on building a low temperature Stirling engine, and I came across this website, http://heetgasmodelbouw.ridders.nu/Webpaginas/pagina_koffiekop_jan/koffiejan_frameset.htm The design on this website looks nice, and I would like to give it a go (after I build a...
  5. O

    Re-conditioning of Transformer oil

    What is the procedure to recondition the mineral oil used in transformer so that it become useable again. Any helpful link or... Thanks
  6. A

    Thermodynamics Heating oil Problem

    I have problem in calculating heating time of Lube Oil ( SAE 40 ). There is a tank of Lube Oil ( SAE 40) of 19000 liters at 20° C. this oil has to be heated up from 20° C to 40° C with help of a heater of 85 kW through which oil flows at 4800 liter/hour and back to tank. How much time it...
  7. R

    Fluids-blow across top of straw to draw up olive oil

    Homework Statement You try to remove olive oil from a glass by blowing across the top of a vertical straw immersed in the olive oil. What is the minimum speed you must give the air at the top of the straw to draw olive oil upward through a height of 1.5 cm? (Note: The density of olive oil...
  8. M

    Heat exchanger in abandon oil tank

    Here in the NW most homes are or were heated by oil. The biggest cost of switching to gas (as geothermal is very expensive) is decommissioning the old buried oil tank, in many cases up to 675 gal. cap. I was pondering weather the old tank could be filled with a solution and somehow figure out...
  9. B

    Spherical drop of oil question

    Homework Statement A spherical drop of oil, 1 mm in diameter, falls on a water surface. The oil spreads out to cover a circular patch of diameter 60 cm. The oil spreads out until it forms a uniform layer on top of the water, only one molecule thick. What is the thickness of this layer...
  10. A

    Solving for Pressure Rise in Manometer with Oil & Mercury

    Homework Statement A manometer using oil (density 0.91 g/cm3) as a fluid is connected to an air tank. Suddenly the pressure in the tank increases by 0.72 cm of Hg. (a) By how much does the fluid level rise in the side of the manometer that is open to the atmosphere? (b) What would your...
  11. M

    Damping due to porous plate travelling through hydraulic oil

    Evening All, I am looking at a problem where there is essentially a hydraulic cylinder containing a double acting type rod (with an annulus). There will be some holes in the annulus, which will allow fluid to pass through once there is a load on the end of the rod causing it to extend. The...
  12. K

    Bouyant force on a cube floating at the surface between water and oil?

    Homework Statement A cube of 15 cm is floating at the surface between water and oil. The oil has a density of 810 kg/m3. If the cube floats so that it is 52% in water and 48% in the oil, what is the mass of the cube and what is the buoyant force on the cube? Homework Equations...
  13. P

    Gas engine running on Veggie oil -

    Before I get flamed for this, I am not running a gasoline engine directly with normal fuel oil or veg oil- I made a gasifier. My gasifier is lame at the moment, but is just for testing purposes. It consists of a small fuel reservoir, suspended several feet up, then it flows down through about...
  14. V

    Calculating Flow Rate: Oil in a Pipe

    Homework Statement Oil flowing through a pipe, measured to be 135kPa 15m from the end and 88kPa discharging from the end. The diameter of the pipe is 1.5cm, the density of the oil is 876kg/m^3, and the dynamic viscosity is 0.24kg/m*s. Find flow rate for: a) horizontal b) inclined 8...
  15. A

    Oil Leakage from Turbine Governor

    I am looking for feedback into the possible causes of oil leakage from a turbine governor that controls a pelton turbine. The following is an abstract of the issue. 1. Governor Make : Ganz Mavag, Budapest 2. Model : 1979 3. Present Status : Oil Leaks from within the Governor Shaft Assembly...
  16. E

    Transfer Hydrogenation of Olive oil by Cyclohexene

    Hi, I was just wondering. In the reaction formula I have olive oil with 3 double bonds and cyclohexene can only hydrogenate 2. How do I hydrogenate all three?
  17. S

    Oil Refinery: Optimization Problem

    Homework Statement A drilling rig 12 miles off shore is to be connected by a pipe to a refinery onshore, 20 miles down the coast from the rig. If underwater pipe costs $40,000 per mile and land based pipe costs $30,000 per mile what value of x and y would give the least expensive connection...
  18. P

    Calculating Pressure for Oil Seed Pressing with 80 kW PTO Shaft

    hi there, i need some advice please. I am a farmer that wants to press some oil seed rape. i have a tractor that produces 80 kw of power at its pto shaft (Power take off) and i want to use this rotational power to produce a reciprocating motion eg back and forth motion. The pto shaft has...
  19. P

    Pumping Warm Crude Oil: Calculating NPSA & Velocity Head

    At an oil refinery, a mobile centrifugal pump is used to pump warm crude oil from a storage tank. Liquid level in tank at elevation of 3 metres above pump. Suction side of pump is fed with a flexible hose that is 10 metres long. Crude oil density: 846 kg/m3 Crude flow 4000 kg/h Internal...
  20. T

    Fanless convection heater versus oil filled heater

    Both are near silent and 100% (in)efficient, but does the convection heater (with the electric coil where heat rises naturally) make the room more stuffy as I've sometimes heard, or perhaps even deplete oxygen?
  21. G

    Is 85% the highest efficiency we can achieve with PV technology?

    If there somehow was a way to produce electrical energy endlessly (as much as we want with no pollution or environmental issues), we still can't really say we can do away with oil anytime soon b/c of the inability to make high quality good batteries. First of all, there probably isn't enough...
  22. M

    Lab help (Millikan oil drop experiment)

    Hello, We did a lab in class yesterday and we are expected to write a report and graph our results. The lab was a simulation of the Millikan oil drop experiment. We used graphing calculators to do the simulation and took down 15 results. One thing i don't understand is how to come up with the...
  23. K

    Oil Industry: Does it Hire Physicists?

    Greetings!. I am about to obtain a Masters degree in physics. I am working basically with EM wave propagation phenomena. I would like to find a job in the oil field, especially in the exploration field. Oil industry in big here (Western Canada), but I am not sure about my chances of finding a...
  24. T

    Oil temperature in a hydraulic hand pump

    If anyone here has experience with hydraulic hand pumps(those 10000 psi models), could you tell me how hot the oil, and by extenstion the pipes get during compression?
  25. K

    Incredible Power of Oil: Stick Diamonds to Windows!

    I read on the news that when you place oil from behind your ear onto the diamond. You can stick it to the window and the adhesive power will be so strong that you can place a metal pincet on it. Any explanation? http://www.standaard.be/video/videoPlayer.aspx?cat=1&subcat=1&videoId=352871
  26. A

    Oil Prices Rise Despite Economic Woes

    With the economy still in the tank, why are oil prices going back up?
  27. Spinnor

    Where on Earth are possible coal and oil of tomorrow forming today?

    Where on Earth are possible coal and oil of "tomorrow" forming today? Where on Earth are possible coal and oil of tomorrow, as in many many years from now, forming today? Thanks for your help!
  28. M

    Can Oil Be Heated in a Microwave Oven? Discover the Science Behind It

    just wondering if i put oil in a microwave oven will the oil get heated and why? i know polar substances will be heated but I am not sure if the same thing will happen to non-polar substance like oil
  29. G

    How Does the Millikan Oil Drop Experiment Illustrate the Balance of Forces?

    Homework Statement An oil drop with a mass of 7.20*10^-16kg moves upward at a constant speed of 2.50 m/s between two horizontal, parallel plates. If the electric field strength between these plates is 2.20*10^4 V/m, what is the magnitude of the charge on the oil drop? Homework Equations...
  30. J

    Medical Oil for Dry Skin: Benefits & Uses of Baby Oil

    Does putting oil on the skin helps to reduce the dry skin? Or, it just looks better because under oil, the dry skin is temporarily invisible? What is baby oil for?
  31. M

    Find Thickness of Oil Film on Water, \lambda = 550 nm

    Homework Statement A thin film of oil (n = 1.50) floats on water (n = 1.33). If the film appears yellow-green (\lambda = 550 nm) when viewed at normal incidence, how thick is it? Given: n_{f} = 1.50 n_{water} = 1.33 \lambda_{0} = 550 nm \theta_{i} = 0 Required: Thickness (d)...
  32. R

    Why Does Total Internal Reflection Not Occur at the Oil-Water Interface?

    Homework Statement Consider a layer of oil assume n = 1.6 about 5 mm thick floating over a body of water n = 1.33. If a light ray is obliquely incident from air onto the oil surface find the range of incidence angles if any that results in total internal reflection at the oil water interface...
  33. fluidistic

    A question about cooking oil bottle caps

    Hi PF, I really didn't know where to ask the following question so redirect the thread if necessary. I'd like to know why I can't really "close" cooking oil bottle caps. I can screw the oil bottle caps but when it's almost totally screwed, suddenly it's like it unscrew and I have to screw it...
  34. B

    What do i need to know to build oil expeler?

    Hi all! I am new to this forum and i know nothing about mechanical engineering.I have degrees in electrical engineering and computer science.I wish to build a food oil expeller and want to know the mechanical engineering basics i need to study before i venture on the project.Any pointers will...
  35. S

    Hexane's solubility in crude oil

    Homework Statement Does hexane dissolve in Crude oil? My attempt I know it dissolves in fats and to some oils. I am not sure whether it means crude oil too.
  36. W

    Index of refraction for vegetable oil

    A glass rod seems to disappear when it is placed in vegetable oil. Based on this observation, predict the index of refraction for vegetable oil.
  37. S

    How Do You Calculate the Height of Oil in a U-Tube?

    A U-tube of circular diameter 5.60 mm initally contain just water. If 4.00 milliliters(cm^3) of oil is added to the left hand side of the tube the level of the oil is 6.8 mm higher than the level of the water in the right hand side of the tube. Determine the height of the oil. i'd give some...
  38. L

    How Do Surface Waves Behave in an Ocean of Oil?

    I'm interested in the physical behavior of surface waves in an oil-based ocean. Suppose, if you will, an ocean created of crude oil. How would its waves behave in relation to our own oceans' waves? I think oil waves would be slower and lower in height, but how much slower and lower I...
  39. P

    News Can Obama Achieve Oil Independence?

    The man keeps going! I know nothing about this topic other than what is available in mainstream media. Was wondering if those of you in the know could comment on the possibility and viability of these goals and policies? Obama aims for oil independence
  40. L

    What is the mass of a floating block of wood in oil and water?

    i have a physics problem about buoyancy and could really use some help! a cubical block of wood 10cm on a side, floats at the interface between oil and water with the lower surface 2cm below the interface. the density of oil is 0.6 g/cm^3 and the density of water is 1.00g/cm^3. what is the mass...
  41. M

    Predicting the price of crude oil

    I am a (mathematical) physics student doing a project on predicting the price of crude oil, and was hoping someone here could help point me in the direction of some good resources (books, websites, journals etc). I am especially interested in resources which model things mathematically. The...
  42. X

    Distinguish between polyunsaturated vegetable oil and petroleum oil

    1. Which of the following chemical reaction could be used to Distinguish between polyunsaturated vegetable oil and petroleum oil containing a mixture of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbon? Explain your answer. i.addition of bromine in CCl4 ii. hydrogenation iii.saponification iv.ozonolysis...
  43. S

    Optimizing Thin Film Interference for Maximum Reflection

    Homework Statement A transparent oil with an index of refraction of 1.25 spills on the surface of the water (n=1.33), producing a maximum of reflection with incident orange light (\lambda = 602nm in air.) Determine the lowest possible thickness (in nm) of the oil slick.Homework Equations...
  44. wolram

    Flavouring Olive Oil for a Better Taste

    Olive oil is supposed to be good for you but, it doe's not taste very nice, so i tried warming some up with flavourings (herbs and spices) so far the best tasting one is mint, let it cool first, what do you think?
  45. K

    Pumps: Head, Discharge & Lubrication Oil Recommendations

    Hi all, I want to know the details of the pumps such as Which of the pump has the highest head? Which one has the Highest Discharge? The one highly recommended for lubrication oils? What is the real physical meaning of head? The relation between Head and Discharge in physical...
  46. F

    Oil Compressibility - Bulk Modulus of Oil (API 30-40) 0-3000 psi & 10-20°C

    Could anybody provide information on the bulk modulus of oil (say API Gravity 30-40) in the range of pressure 0-3000 psi and in the range of temperature 10-20 degrees C? Many thanks Filippo Librino
  47. Andre

    News Why Did Obama Drop the Oil Tax Proposal?

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/3551022/Barack-Obama-breaks-first-campaign-promise-by-dropping-oil-tax.html Wondering what the relation is with the economic crisis.
  48. I

    Volume of ice immersed in water to that in kerosene oil

    Homework Statement A cube of ice floats partly in water and partly in kerosene oil. Find the ratio of the volume of ice immersed in water to that in kerosene oil. Specific gravity of kerosene oil is 0.8 and that of ice is 0.9 Homework Equations Upthrust = V(imm)*d*g The Attempt at a...
  49. J

    Oil Heater, Humididy, Heating Cold Air

    Hi I am living in a 2 bedroom house with base bord heaters but i have also purchesed 3 oil space heaters, my landlord since has givin me a bogus eviction notice because of to much humididiy in the air, his fault really for nothin ensuring propor ventalation when repairing the house but my...
  50. Wellesley

    News Oil Prices in 2009: Will They Rise or Fall?

    Will oil prices rise in 2009? Or will the economy keep the prices down for a while?
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