Fossil fuel, any of a class of hydrocarbon-containing materials of biological origin occurring within Earth’s crust that can be used as a source of energy.
RELATED TOPICS(CLICK)
- GLOBAL WARMING
- GREENHOUSE EFFECT
- ECOSYSTEM
- SUSTAINABILITY DEFINITION
- WASTE MANAGEMENT
- SUSTAINABILITY FORESTRY
Fossil fuels include coal,petroleum,natural gas,oil shales, bitumens,tar sands,and heavy oils. All contain carbon and were formed as a result of geologic processes acting on the remains of organic matter produced by photosynthesis, a process that began in the archean eon (4.0 billion to 2.5 billion years ago). Most carbonaceous material occurring before the devonian period (419.2 million to 358.9 million years ago) was derived from algae and bacteria , whereas most carbonaceous material occurring during and after that interval was derived from plants.
All fossil fuels can be burned in air or with oxygen derived from air to provide heat . This heat may be employed directly, as in the case of home furnaces, or used to produce steam to drive generators that can supply electricity. In still other cases—for example, gas turbines used in jet aircraft—the heat yielded by burning a fossil fuel serves to increase both the pressure and the temperature of the combustion products to furnish motive power.
When fossil fuels are burned, they release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases , which in turn trap heat in our atmosphere, making them the primary contributors to global warming and climate change.
FORMATION OF FOSSIL FUEL
Forming fossil fuels requires very specific
conditions.Coal is one type of fossil fuel.
It was formed very slowly, a very long time
ago from trees and other plants that were
submerged under water. Instead of rotting
, the wood and plant matter was covered
with layers of mud and sand.
Over time, heat and pressure turned the
material into coal.Oil is sometimes referred
to as petroleum. It formed from
material into coal.Oil is sometimes referred
to as petroleum. It formed from
the deep burial and decomposition of
dead plants and animals. Heat and pressure,
in the absence of oxygen, changed the
decomposed material into crude oil.
Petroleum, or oil, is used for energy and
many products.Millions of years ago, the
remains of plants and animals decayed
and built up in thick layers. Over time, the
sand and silt changed to rock, covered it,
and trapped it beneath the rock. Pressure
and heat changed some of this matter
dead plants and animals. Heat and pressure,
in the absence of oxygen, changed the
decomposed material into crude oil.
Petroleum, or oil, is used for energy and
many products.Millions of years ago, the
remains of plants and animals decayed
and built up in thick layers. Over time, the
sand and silt changed to rock, covered it,
and trapped it beneath the rock. Pressure
and heat changed some of this matter
into coal and oil. Some of it was trapped
as pockets of gases known as natural gas.
as pockets of gases known as natural gas.
Because fossil fuels take such a long time
to form, the supply we have on Earth
today will one day run out. Our current
way of life relies heavily on the use of
fossil fuels.
We must be wise in our use of this energy
source (conserve energy) and develop
other energy sources (alternative energy)
to meet our current and future energy needs.
to form, the supply we have on Earth
today will one day run out. Our current
way of life relies heavily on the use of
fossil fuels.
We must be wise in our use of this energy
source (conserve energy) and develop
other energy sources (alternative energy)
to meet our current and future energy needs.
Major types of fossil fuels
There are several main groups of
fossil fuels, including:
fossil fuels, including:
Coal: Black or brown chunks of sedimen
-tary rock that range from crumbly to
relatively hard, coal began to form during
the carboniferous period about 300 to
360 million years ago, when algae and
debris from vegetation in swamp forests
settled deeper and deeper under layers
of mud. Mined via surface or undergrou
-nd methods, coal supplies a third of all
energy worldwide , with the top coal
consumers and producers in 2018 being
China, India, and the United States. Coal
is classified into four categories—anthracite,
bituminous, sub-bituminous, and lignite
–depending on its carbon content.
-tary rock that range from crumbly to
relatively hard, coal began to form during
the carboniferous period about 300 to
360 million years ago, when algae and
debris from vegetation in swamp forests
settled deeper and deeper under layers
of mud. Mined via surface or undergrou
-nd methods, coal supplies a third of all
energy worldwide , with the top coal
consumers and producers in 2018 being
China, India, and the United States. Coal
is classified into four categories—anthracite,
bituminous, sub-bituminous, and lignite
–depending on its carbon content.
Carbon dioxide emissions from burning coal
account for44 percent of the world total ,
and it's the biggest single source of the
global temperature increase above pre
-industrial levels.
The health and environmental consequences
of coal use, along with competition from
cheap natural gas, have contributed to its
decline in the U.S. and elsewhere. But in
other places, such as India,demand is
expected to rise through 2023.
Oil: Crude oil, a liquid composed mainly
of carbon and hydrogen, is often black,
but exists in a variety of colors and
viscosities depending on its chemical
composition.
Much of it formed during the Mesozoic
period, between 252 and 66 million years
ago, as plankton, algae, and other matter
sank to the bottom of ancient seas and
was eventually buried.
Extracted from onshore and offshore wells,
crude oil is refined into a variety of
petroleum products , including gasoline,
diesel, and heating oil. The top oil-producing
countries are the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and
Russia, which together account for nearly
40 percent of the world's supply.
Petroleum use accounts for nearly half the
carbon emissions in the U.S. and about a
third of the global total.
of carbon and hydrogen, is often black,
but exists in a variety of colors and
viscosities depending on its chemical
composition.
Much of it formed during the Mesozoic
period, between 252 and 66 million years
ago, as plankton, algae, and other matter
sank to the bottom of ancient seas and
was eventually buried.
Extracted from onshore and offshore wells,
crude oil is refined into a variety of
petroleum products , including gasoline,
diesel, and heating oil. The top oil-producing
countries are the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and
Russia, which together account for nearly
40 percent of the world's supply.
Petroleum use accounts for nearly half the
carbon emissions in the U.S. and about a
third of the global total.
In addition to the air pollution released
when oil is burned, drilling and transport
have led to several major accidents, such
as the exxon valdez spill in 1989, the
deepwater horizon disaster in 2010, the
devastating lac megantic oil train
derailment in 2013,
and thosands of pipeline incidents.
Nonetheless, oil demand continues to rise,
driven not only by our thirst for mobility,
but for the many products— including
plastics —made using petrochemicals,
which are generally derived from oil and gas.
Natural gas:
An odorless gas composed primarily
of methane,natural gas often lies in
deposits that, like those for coal and oil,
formed millions of years ago from
decaying plant matter and organisms.
Both natural gas and oil production
have surged in the U.S. over the
past two decades because of advances
in the drilling technique most people
know as fracking.
when oil is burned, drilling and transport
have led to several major accidents, such
as the exxon valdez spill in 1989, the
deepwater horizon disaster in 2010, the
devastating lac megantic oil train
derailment in 2013,
and thosands of pipeline incidents.
Nonetheless, oil demand continues to rise,
driven not only by our thirst for mobility,
but for the many products— including
plastics —made using petrochemicals,
which are generally derived from oil and gas.
Natural gas:
An odorless gas composed primarily
of methane,natural gas often lies in
deposits that, like those for coal and oil,
formed millions of years ago from
decaying plant matter and organisms.
Both natural gas and oil production
have surged in the U.S. over the
past two decades because of advances
in the drilling technique most people
know as fracking.
By combining fracking—or hydraulic
fracturing—with horizontal drilling and
other innovations, the fossil-fuel industry
has managed to extract resources that
were previously too costly to reach. As a
result, natural gas has surpassed coal to
become the top fuel for U.S. electricity
production, and the U.S. leads the worldwide
in natural gas production, followed by
Russia and Iran.
fracturing—with horizontal drilling and
other innovations, the fossil-fuel industry
has managed to extract resources that
were previously too costly to reach. As a
result, natural gas has surpassed coal to
become the top fuel for U.S. electricity
production, and the U.S. leads the worldwide
in natural gas production, followed by
Russia and Iran.
Natural gas is cleaner than coal and oil
in terms of emissions, but nonetheless
accounts for a fifth of the world's total,
not counting the so-called fugitive
emissions that escape from the industry,
which can be significant. Not all of the
world’s natural gas sources are being
actively mined. Undersea methane
hydrates, for example, where gas is
trapped in frozen water, are
being eyed as a potential gas resources.
in terms of emissions, but nonetheless
accounts for a fifth of the world's total,
not counting the so-called fugitive
emissions that escape from the industry,
which can be significant. Not all of the
world’s natural gas sources are being
actively mined. Undersea methane
hydrates, for example, where gas is
trapped in frozen water, are
being eyed as a potential gas resources.
Reducing emissions from
fossil fuels
Governments around the world are now
engaged in efforts to ramp down green
-house gas emissions from fossil fuels
to prevent the worst effects of climate
change. At the international level,
countries have committed to emissions
reduction targets as part of the 2015
paris agreement , while other entities—
including cities, states, and businesses
—have made their own commitments.
These efforts generally focus on replacing
fossil fuels with renewable energy sources,
increasing energy efficiency, and
electrifying sectors such as
transportation and buildings.
engaged in efforts to ramp down green
-house gas emissions from fossil fuels
to prevent the worst effects of climate
change. At the international level,
countries have committed to emissions
reduction targets as part of the 2015
paris agreement , while other entities—
including cities, states, and businesses
—have made their own commitments.
These efforts generally focus on replacing
fossil fuels with renewable energy sources,
increasing energy efficiency, and
electrifying sectors such as
transportation and buildings.
However, many sources of carbon
emissions, such as existing power
plants that run on natural gas and coal,
are already locked in. Considering the
world's continuing dependence on fossil
fuels, many argue that in addition to
efforts aimed at replacing them,
we also need to suck carbon from the
air with technologies such as carbon
capture, in which emissions are
diverted to underground storage or
recycled before they reach the atmosphere.
A handful of commercial-scale projects
around the world already capture carbon
dioxide from the smokestacks of fossil
fuel-fired plants, and while
its high costs have prevented wider adoption ,
advocates hope advances in the technology
willeventually make it more affordable.https://intersting2020.blogspot.com
/2020/04/global-warming.html
emissions, such as existing power
plants that run on natural gas and coal,
are already locked in. Considering the
world's continuing dependence on fossil
fuels, many argue that in addition to
efforts aimed at replacing them,
we also need to suck carbon from the
air with technologies such as carbon
capture, in which emissions are
diverted to underground storage or
recycled before they reach the atmosphere.
A handful of commercial-scale projects
around the world already capture carbon
dioxide from the smokestacks of fossil
fuel-fired plants, and while
its high costs have prevented wider adoption ,
advocates hope advances in the technology
willeventually make it more affordable.https://intersting2020.blogspot.com
/2020/04/global-warming.html
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