Fossil Fuels: Nonrenewable Energy Sources

Fossil Fuels: Nonrenewable Energy Sources

• Fossil fuels are the most common nonrenewable energy sources used globally (80% in 2022).
• Fossil fuels consist of coal, oil, and natural gas, which are remains of organisms that lived millions of years ago.
• These fuels contain high levels of carbon and hydrogen, known as hydrocarbons.
• Carbon is stored within these fuels.
• Fossil fuels formed over millions of years in vast swamps or shallow seas.
• Organisms died and were deposited in swamp water.
• Lack of oxygen prevented complete decomposition allowing the formation of fossil fuels.
• Fossil fuels are formed from burial by sediments, increased temperature and pressure. These processes liberate oxygen, harden organic matter, and increase the carbon content of the organic matter. This process differs subtly depending on the particular fuel type (coal, oil, or natural gas).
• Stages of coal formation include peat, lignite and coal. Each stage corresponds to progressively greater heat and pressure.

Energy Sources

• Energy resources are categorized into renewable and nonrenewable.
• Nonrenewable resources have a finite supply, or are renewed at a rate much slower than their consumption.
• Examples of nonrenewable resources include oil, coal, natural gas, and nuclear energy sources.
• Examples of renewable resources include wind, solar, biomass, hydropower, and geothermal sources.

Types of Fossil Fuels:

Coal

• Coal is a solid fossil fuel.
• It's used primarily to generate electricity globally.
• Coal is also used to produce coke, a necessary component in steel production.

Oil (Petroleum)

• Oil is a liquid fossil fuel.
• Used for various purposes like transportation (gasoline, diesel), asphalt, heating oil, and chemical feedstocks.
• Oil is refined into various useful products.

Natural Gas

• Natural gas is a gaseous fossil fuel.
• Used for electricity generation and home heating.

Combustion Process

• Combustion of hydrocarbons (including fossil fuels) and wood results in the formation of water (H₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂).
• Burning wood and hydrocarbons in the presence of oxygen produces ashes, carbon dioxide, and water vapor.
• The mass of the products (ash, carbon dioxide, and water vapor) equals the mass of the initial reactants (wood and oxygen).

This quiz explores the characteristics and formation of fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and natural gas. Learn about how these nonrenewable energy sources are formed over millions of years and their significant role in the global energy landscape. Test your knowledge on the processes involved in their creation and stages of formation.