Fossil Fuels and Coal Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary composition of coal?

Oxygen

Hydrogen

Nitrogen

Carbon (correct)

Which of the following is NOT a type of coal?

Graphite

Lignite

Peat Moss (correct)

Bituminous

What is one of the primary uses of coal?

Pharmaceutical production

Textile manufacturing

Transportation

Power generation (correct)

Which country is NOT among the top producers of coal?

Brazil Signup and view all the answers

What process is involved in transforming petroleum into usable fuels?

Refining Signup and view all the answers

Which range of hydrocarbons is commonly found in petroleum?

C5H12 to C18H38 Signup and view all the answers

What is a negative impact of fossil fuels?

Environmental pollution Signup and view all the answers

What essential role does coal play in agriculture?

Providing machinery production materials Signup and view all the answers

Which countries are listed as top petroleum producing nations?

Russia, Saudi Arabia, United States, Iraq Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary use of refined bitumen?

Paving and roofing applications Signup and view all the answers

What is fuel oil commonly used for?

Heating buildings and generating electricity Signup and view all the answers

What is lubricating oil primarily used for?

Reducing friction and wear in mechanical components Signup and view all the answers

How does ignition occur in diesel engines?

As a result of compression of air and fuel injection Signup and view all the answers

What is kerosene commonly used for?

Burning in lamps and domestic heaters Signup and view all the answers

What defines naphtha in terms of its composition?

A volatile liquid hydrocarbon mixture Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of bitumen?

It is composed of complex, heavy hydrocarbons Signup and view all the answers

What is a common use of petrol or gasoline?

As fuel for internal-combustion engines Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a component mainly found in refinery gas?

Propane Signup and view all the answers

What are the primary components of natural gas?

Methane with impurities Signup and view all the answers

What role does naphtha play in industry?

It is a raw material for producing plastics Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following environmental hazards is associated with petroleum products?

Accidents leading to oil spills Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true regarding CNG?

It is a cleaner and cheaper alternative to traditional fuels Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant use of gasoline in agriculture?

To fuel agricultural machinery Signup and view all the answers

Which process primarily uses natural gas as a feedstock?

Haber process for ammonia production Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Fossil Fuels

A general term for buried combustible geologic deposits of organic materials, formed from decayed plants and animals
Includes coal, petroleum, and natural gas

Coal

A combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams.
Composed primarily of carbon, along with variable quantities of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Extracted by mining.
Top producers are China, United States, India, European Union, and Australia respectively.
Types include: peat, lignite, bituminous/sub-bituminous, steam, anthracite, and graphite

Uses of Coal

Power generation
Steel production
Cement manufacturing
Ingredients for industrial and commercial products
Agriculture: essential for production of raw materials in infrastructure and machinery for agriculture, a source of electricity transmitted to farms, some farms use fly ash for fertilizer as a source.

Petroleum

A naturally occurring yellow-to-black liquid found in geological formations beneath the Earth's surface.
Commonly refined into various types of fuels with approximate hydrocarbon range of C5H12 to C18H38.
The process involves exploration, extraction, refining, and transporting (often with oil tankers and pipelines).
Most countries in the Middle East have abundant supply of petroleum but according to U.S.Energy Information Administration, top petroleum producing countries in the world are Russia, Saudi Arabia, United States, Iraq, Iran and China respectively.
Bitumen: a low-grade of crude oil which is composed of complex, heavy hydrocarbons.
Fuel oil: also known as heavy oil, marine fuel or furnace oil, made of long hydrocarbon chains, particularly alkanes, cycloalkanes and aromatics.
Lubricating oil: “Mineral oil” is used to refer to lubricating base oils derived from crude oil.
Diesel: a liquid fuel used in diesel engines, whose fuel ignition takes place, without any spark, as a result of compression of the inlet air mixture and then injection of fuel.
Kerosene: also called paraffin or paraffin oil, flammable hydrocarbon liquid commonly used as a fuel.
Naphtha: a flammable liquid hydrocarbon mixture produced from commonly on petroleum distillates.
Petrol: a mixture of volatile, flammable liquid hydrocarbons derived from petroleum and used as fuel for internal-combustion engines.
Refinery gas: consists of mainly propane and butane gases which can be compressed or liquefied.

Uses of Petroleum

Fuel for vehicles (gasoline, diesel)
Power generation (fuel oil)
Heating homes and commercial buildings
Construction (bitumen)
Lubrication
Industrial products (naphtha)
Agriculture: gasoline and diesel fuels are essential for agricultural machineries, raw materials such as plastics are obtained from petroleum products, farm to market road made from asphalt (uses bitumen), raw materials for pesticides and other chemicals.

Natural Gas

A naturally occurring hydrocarbon gas mixture consisting primarily of methane (CH4) with small amounts of impurities such as CO2, N2, H2S, and He.
Top producers of natural gas include U.S., Russia, Iran, and Qatar respectively.
Major source of electricity generation through the use of cogeneration, gas turbines and steam turbines.
Commonly used for domestic and commercial purposes such as cooking and heating.
CNG is a cleaner and also cheaper alternative to other automobile fuels such as gasoline (petrol) and diesel.
Major feedstock for the production of ammonia, via the Haber process, for use in fertilizer production.

Impact of Fossil Fuels

Non-renewable
Environmental Hazards
Accidents can be disastrous
Price fluctuations
Overdependence
Need Huge Amount of Reserves
Impact on Aquatic Life by Oil Spill

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Description

This quiz explores the definitions and characteristics of fossil fuels, focusing on coal as a key energy resource. Participants will learn about different types of coal, their properties, and various applications in industries such as power generation and agriculture. Test your knowledge of the environmental and economic aspects of fossil fuels.