| Feature | Thermal Cracking | Catalytic Cracking | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Very high (700 – 1200 K) | High (720 – 820 K) | | Pressure | High (up to 70 atm) | Slightly above atmospheric | | Catalyst | None | Zeolite (aluminosilicate) | | Mechanism | Free-radical (homolytic fission) | Ionic (heterolytic fission) via carbocations |
International A Level students often struggle with the alternative-to-practical units. You don’t need to spend 24 hours in a lab to crack these; you need to understand . Know your colors: If you don't know that | Feature | Thermal Cracking | Catalytic Cracking