Human changes: Hydrocarbon extraction and burning

Question 1

defintion

Answer 1

This is the mining and burning of fossil fuels. This is the largest single contributor to atmospheric CO2. Fossil fuels are mainly composed of carbon and hydrogen

Question 2

carbon

Answer 2

The age of fossil fuels can be 70-100 million years. Oil, coal and natural gas contain a high percentage of carbon. Animal remains tend to produce oil, whereas plant matter tends to form coal and gas. Carbon is locked up in these deposits. Methane (CH4) is the main component of natural gas

Question 3

combustion

Answer 3

Combustion causes serious environmental concerns. The burning of fossil fuels produces 21 Pg (Petagrams) of CO2 p.a. (per annum- per year). Natural processes can only absorb half of that- leaving a net increase of 8 Pg of atmospheric CO2 p.a. CO2 is one greenhouse gas that enhances atmospheric heating and contributes to climate change.

Burning fossil fuels takes the slow carbon cycle that took millions of years to sequester and releases it into the fast cycle in quantities far higher than natural cycles can process, resulting in an atmospheric build-up of CO2.