Fossil Fuels Flashcards
(25 cards)
Where does most of the enrgy stored on earth origionate?
Most energy comes from the Fusion in the core of the sun.
What is a Fuel?
Any substance from which energy can be obtained.
Give 3 examples of a Fuel.
Coal, Petrolium, Natural Gass, Wood, Garbage, Alcohol, fats, Uranium, etc.
What Are Fossil fuels?
Fuels that are formed from fossilized organisms.
What are the three main fossil fuels?
Coal, Petrolium (Oil), and natural gass.
Hydrocarbons
compounds made of hydrogen and carbon, the main component of fossil fuels and biomass fuels.
What are the properties of a hydrocarbon with lots of carbons?
they contain more energy AND have a lower boiling point
What are the properties of a hydrocarbon with lots of branches?
It is much harder to burn than a non-branched hydrocarbon.
Formation of coal.
Dead plant matter is buirried under many layers of dirt and rock, which compresses it and heat it to remove impurities.
What are the properties of a more pure coal?
The purer the coal the less smoke it will produce and the hotter it will burn. This happens because it has less water.
Peat
burried plant matter that hasn’t become Coal yet. looks like plant dense soil.
lignite
A Soft Brown Coal, very impure
Bituminous Coal
a black rock, the most common form of coal
Anthracite Coal
the Deepest and purest form of coal
What is the Primary use of coal?
Burned to generate electricity in power plants.
What is Petrolium (Oil)?
a liquid made of long hydrocarbons.
What is Natural gass?
a gas made of short hydrocarbons.
Name 3 uses of petrolium
Gassoline, diesel, jet fuel, lubricants, plastics, asphalt.
What is the primary use of Natural Gas?
warming home appliances.
How is Petrolium formed?
Oceanic microorganisms die and are burried. Over time they are chrushed into liquid and get concentrated beneeth layers of rock they cannot pass through.
How is Natural Gas formed?
Through the same process as petrolium, the gasses often seperate from the oil and form a layer just above it.
Oil Spills
When a large amount of Petrolium is dumped into the environment, kills lots of wildlife.
Formation of Acid Rain
Chemicals from burning coal enter clouds and make the rain 100 times more acidic. Destroys buildings and removes nutriants from soil, killing plants.
Global warming
The rising of global temperatures due to excess amounts of Carbon Dioxide.
