Cracking is a chemical process in which larger hydrocarbon molecules are broken down into smaller and more useful ones. This process is commonly used in petroleum refining to convert heavy hydrocarbons into lighter fractions, including alkenes. During cracking, high-temperature and/or catalytic conditions are applied to break the long carbon chains of hydrocarbons into shorter ones. This process produces a mixture of products, including alkenes, which are unsaturated hydrocarbons containing carbon-carbon double bonds.