Hobbies And Interests

What Are the Names of the Fossil Fuels?

The term "fossil fuel" describes any naturally-occurring hydrocarbon energy source created from heat, the compression of the remains of prehistoric organisms, and a great amount of time. Because these fuels were created from fossils over millions of years, they are nonrenewable. As fossil fuels are burned, they create energy for the numerous activities required by modern society, such as heating homes, powering vehicles, and creating electricity. Three main types of fossil fuels exist: coal, oil, and natural gas.
  1. Coal

    • Coal was formed from the remains of vegetation on land, usually in swampy lowland areas. Because the soil in such areas was waterlogged, plant matter was unable to decay fully, forming into clumps that created a substance called peat. Further compression from layers of sedimentary rock building up and mixing into the peat eventually caused the deposits to harden into coal. This process of plant matter turning into coal is known as "coalification." The Energy Information Administration estimated in 2001 that coal comprised just under 25 percent of worldwide energy consumption, making it second only to oil consumption.

      There are more than 1200 varieties of coal, according to the University of Michigan, but there are three primary types. Anthracite coal has a higher amount of carbon and is harder than other types, which gives it a higher energy content. Lignite coal is softer, and is filled with higher amounts of hydrogen and oxygen, but has a lower amount of carbon. Bituminous coal has a more balanced mixture of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, placing it midway between anthracite and lignite in energy content.

    Oil

    • Oil is a liquid fossil fuel that is also referred to as petroleum. Oil forms as a result of marine microorganisms dying and being deposited on the bottom of the ocean or sea. After millions of years of sedimentary deposits, the heat and pressure caused oil to form in the spaces between the deposits. This breakdown of the microorganisms can only occur in areas where the sea floor is placid enough for the process to go on undisturbed and there is little oxygen to break down the organic matter.

      To find oil, large rigs are set up to drill into sea and ocean beds and in land areas. These rigs then draw the crude oil up to the surface, where it is stored and then processed at oil refineries into gas, deisel and other fuels. Oil is used to run cars, planes, and trucks, as well as in making roads and roofs, fertilizers, and plastic products. Oil makes up 39.2 percent of the U.S. total energy supply, as reported by the Energy Information Administration; worldwide, oil comprises about 38 percent of energy use.

    Natural Gas

    • Natural gas is an odorless gas created in a manner similar to oil. The remains of organisms fall to the sea floor, then are compressed and layered. The resulting natural gas is comprised mainly of methane and is lighter than air. Often, natural gas can be found in locations close to oil deposits.

      Rather than using oil rigs to get to the gas, pipelines are installed so that the natural gas can be pumped from the ground to storage areas until it is used. Uses for natural gas include heating and suppying energy to buildings. Natural gas supplies just approximately 23 percent of the energy in the world, according to the Energy Information Administration.


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