108: Hydrocarbons

The modern world could not exist without hydrocarbons. Virtually everything we touch is either coated with or made up primarily of hydrocarbon products. Organic chemistry originated during the Industrial Revolution, evolving largely due to advances in coal tar technology. In the coking process, bituminous (soft) coal is heated to liberate coal gas. This gas contains volatile hydrocarbons that can be captured and separated into a variety of natural gases. The viscous residue left over from the coking process forms coal tar, which can, in turn, be distilled into kerosene and other hydrocarbon mixtures.