Fossil Fuels Flashcards
Where does most of the enrgy stored on earth origionate?
Most energy comes from the Fusion in the core of the sun.
What is a Fuel?
Any substance from which energy can be obtained.
Give 3 examples of a Fuel.
Coal, Petrolium, Natural Gass, Wood, Garbage, Alcohol, fats, Uranium, etc.
What Are Fossil fuels?
Fuels that are formed from fossilized organisms.
What are the three main fossil fuels?
Coal, Petrolium (Oil), and natural gass.
Hydrocarbons
compounds made of hydrogen and carbon, the main component of fossil fuels and biomass fuels.
What are the properties of a hydrocarbon with lots of carbons?
they contain more energy AND have a lower boiling point
What are the properties of a hydrocarbon with lots of branches?
It is much harder to burn than a non-branched hydrocarbon.
Formation of coal.
Dead plant matter is buirried under many layers of dirt and rock, which compresses it and heat it to remove impurities.
What are the properties of a more pure coal?
The purer the coal the less smoke it will produce and the hotter it will burn. This happens because it has less water.
Peat
burried plant matter that hasn’t become Coal yet. looks like plant dense soil.
lignite
A Soft Brown Coal, very impure
Bituminous Coal
a black rock, the most common form of coal
Anthracite Coal
the Deepest and purest form of coal
What is the Primary use of coal?
Burned to generate electricity in power plants.