Fuels and the Environment Flashcards
(33 cards)
What is the definition of a fuel?
A substance that burn to produce energy
Why are fossil fuels called fossil fuels?
They are formed from the remains of a dead plant and animal matter over millions of years ago
Describe the appearance of coal
It is a black solid rock
What is the role of coal in electricity production?
The heat produced by the burning coal is used to turn water into steam. The steam passes through a turbine at very high pressure, causing the rubine to rotate very quickly. Generating electricity
What is the energy change in electricity production?
heat - kinetic energy - electrical
How was coal formed?
Millions of years ago, plants and trees in swamps died and over time were covered in layers of mud. THe conditions were anaerobic meaning no oxygen was present meaning they couldn’t biodegrade naturally. Over millions of years layers of mud and rock built up. Juge pressure and high temperature turned the plant remains into coal.
What is the appearance of crude oil?
It looks black, brown or amber liquid, sticky and thick
What is crude oils main uses?
- propel vehicles
- powering machines
- feedstocks
- heat buildings
- produces electricity
- beauty
- agriculture
What is the difference of oil forming and coal?
Oil was formed with the remains of animals/ sea creatures
What is crude oil a mixture of?
molecules and HYDROCARBONS
What does HYDROCARBON mean?
The compound contains only the elements hydrogen and carbon in it
In what ways do hydrocarbons in crude oil differ?
They are varying lengths
SOme of the molecules have few hydrogens and carbons, other can have hundreds
What is the process by which crude oil is separated into its different fractions?
Fractional distillation
Why are HYDROCARBONS able to be separated this way?
They have different boiling points and the longer the chain the higher the boiling point
What is the aim to separating crude oil?
separating the mixtures into groups of HYDROCARBONS of similar size and boiling points.
What happens during the process of CRACKING?
Cracking involves taking long chain HYDROCARBONS and making them into smaller, more useful molecules. This increases supply of the shorter chain HYDROCARBONS
What is a fuel?
A substance that burns in oxygen to produce energy
What is a good fuel?
- burns well
- burns for a long time
- provides lots of energy
- inexpensive
- readily available/ good supply
Which fuel is the best out of Butanol, Ethanol and Propanol
Butanol
Why do we burn fossil fuels?
for energy
In the combustion experiment why is it necessary to have the u tube submerged in cold water and what did you see?
Condensation. The cold water cools down liquid vapours
What happens to the limewater in the combustion experiment?
limewater turned cloudy showing carbon dioxide had been formed
What is the word equation for the combustion of a hydrocarbon?
Hydrocarbon + Oxygen →Carbon Dioxide + Water
What did we find out in the greenhouse effect experiment?
CO₂ increases the temperature of the bottle
