Chapter 1: Fuels

Question 1

Define fuel

Answer 1

A substance with stored energy that can be released relatively easily for use as heat or power. The stored energy can be in the form of chemical energy (eg coal) or nuclear energy (eg uranium).

Question 2

Fossil Fuel

Answer 2

A fuel made from organic matter of ancient origin which cannot be replaced as quckily as it is consumed. The main fossil fuels are coal, crude oil, natural gas and coal seam gas.

Question 3

Biofuel

Answer 3

A fuel made from organic material of recent origin. This fuel can generally be replaced as quickly as it is consumed. The main types of biofuel include biogas, bioethanol and biodiesel.

Question 4

Biodiesel

Answer 4

A fuel made from vegetable oil or animal fat, consisting of long-chain alkyl esters. Biodiesel is typically made by reacting triglycerides with an alchol, typically methanol in teh presence of KOH as a catalyst.

Question 5

Biogas

Answer 5

A mixture of gases produced by the breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Biogas consits typically mainly of a mixture of methan and carbon dioxide.

Question 6

Cloud point

Answer 6

The temperature at which diesel or biodiesel appears cloudy because of the formation of small crystals and thus begins to freeze. These crystals theicken the fuel and clog filters and fuel injectors in engines.

Question 7

Coal Seam Gas

Answer 7

Natural gas trapped by pressure on the surface of a coal stream.

Question 8

Enhanced Greenhouse Effect

Answer 8

The warming of the temperature of the Earth’s surface because of an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases as a result og human activities.

Question 9

Flashpoint

Answer 9

The lowest temperature at which the vapor of a liquid will ignite when an ignition source (such as a flame) is applied to it.

Question 10

Fracking

Answer 10

The process of injecting sand, water or chemicals at high pressure into coal or rock to release trapped natural gas.

Question 11

Greenhouse effect

Answer 11

The process of which heat radiation from Earth’s surface is absorbed and then re-radiated by gases in teh atmosphere. The greenhouse effect maintains the temperature of Earth at conditions which are suitable for life.

Question 12

Greenhouse Gas

Answer 12

A gas which is able to absorb and then re-radiate heat radiation. These gases contribute to the Greenhouse effect. Examples are carbon dioxide,methane and water vapour.

Question 13

Hydrogen economy

Answer 13

A proposed system of delivering energy for society using hydrogen as the source of energy.

Question 14

Hydrogen economy

Answer 14

A proposed system of delivering energy for society using hydrogen as the source of energy.

Question 15

Natural Gas

Answer 15

A fossil fuel comprising mainly of methane which exists in the gas phase undr the conditions in which they are extracted from Earth.

Question 16

LPG

Answer 16

A mixture of propane and butane that is serperated from natural gas or crude oil. It is stored under pressure to liquify the propane and butane.

Question 17

Bioethanol

Answer 17

A biofuel made by converting starches from plants into sugars using enzymes and then fermenting the sugars to ethanol using yeast.

Question 18

Renewable

Answer 18

Renewable resources are abundant, for example win power. They can be replaced as quickly as they are consumed. This includes biofuels.

Question 19

Petrodiesel

Answer 19

Diesel fuel derived from crude oil which is seperated by fractional distillation. The composition of petrodiesel is generally 75% alkanes and 25% aromatic hydrocarbons. The size of the hydrocarbons ranges from C10 to C15.

Question 20

Shale gas

Answer 20

Natural gas which is trapped beneath shale rock deposits, usually well below the Earth’s surface.

Question 21

Energy Transformations

Answer 21

The process of converting one form of energy into another for of energy. For exaxmple heat energy into mechanical energy.

Question 22

Fractional distillation

Answer 22

The seperation of the components in a mixture on the basis of their boiling temperature.

Question 23

Non-renewable

Answer 23

Non-renewable energy resources are those which are being used at a faster rate than they are being produced.