Fossil Fuels Flashcards
Define ‘Fossil Fuel’
A fossil fuel is a fuel consisting if the remains of organisms preserved in rocks In the earth’s crust with high carbon and hydrogen content
Define ‘Renewable Energy’
A form of energy derived from natural sources that do not use up natural resources to harm the environment.
Formation of Coal
Coal is formed from the remains from dead plants that have been compressed turning it into peat due to the pressure. This pressure over millions of years turns into different grades of Coal for humans to mine
Formation of Natural Gas and Crude Oil
It’s formed from the remains of dead sea creatures that are at the bottom of the ocean. Small rocks cover the creatures adding pressure and temperature and after millions of years of this it turns into natural gas and crude oil
What is coal
It’s a finite source
Harms the environment due to its highly polluting nature
The polluting causes global warming
Natural Gas/Crude Oil
The extracting causing disturbs wildlife and habitats
Once burnt it causes carbon dioxide - leads to global warming
Biomass
A general term for material derived from plants or animal manure
Wood, Grass, Vegetation
1760
What are Fossil fuels are for
Plastics
Transport
Fibres
Pharmaceutical
How are we stopping use of plastics
Paper straws/cotton buds
Pay for plastic bags
Stop single-use cup - reusable cups
Why is Global action required
Not one nation can tackle fuel depletion because every nation uses these fossil fuels and damaging the entrie world
Some nations using renewable and low carbon alternatives
How is fossil fuels increasing
Takes millions of years of fossils fuels to form
After industrial revolution fossil fuels have increased rapidly
Coal = 40,000 TWH
Crude Oil = 100,000 TWH
Natural Gas = 120,000 TWH
Time we have left of fossil fuels
Coal = 114 years left
Crude Oil = 52.8 years left
Natural Gas = 50.7 years left
How technology increases lifespan of fossil fuels
Find new crude oil fields faster
Some isn’t worth drilling because its too deep
Crude oil prices increases so provides incentive to drill deeper to increase lifespan of fossil fuels
What is the IPCC
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Evidence of global warming
Hotter days/ nights and heatwaves more common Colder days/ nights are fewer Polar ice-caps are melting Sea levels rising Sea temperatures are rising Hurricanes are increasing
What is Anthropogenic
Human Induced
What is carbon trading
Reduces carbon emissions by providing incentives
When a nation is given permits based on target levels
1 permit = 1 tonne of carbon dioxide
If a nation uses less than their target permits, the country can sell excess permits for profit
If a nation uses more than their target permits, the country get penalised
Carbon trading advantages
Environment = reduces carbon emissions Control = government can control the amount of carbon emissions they produce Incentive = provides incentives for companies to reduce pollution Transition = companies can choose to enter a period of transition that suits you
Carbon trading disadvantages
Fraud = difficulties governing the system leaving it open to fraud and manipulation, investors not doing it to save the environment
Companies not joining = some companies not wanting to join and small companies can buy some permits for low prices as its been argued the permit prices are too low
Inflation = nations can inflate figures so they have excess permits to sell.
Questionable = carried out by desktop assessments so results are Questionable
