Obtaining Energy from Fuels/Fuel Choices Flashcards
Compare and contrast stored energy in fuels and chemicals
Chemicals - contain stored energy
Fuels - can release stored energy easily
State what fuels provide
Energy
Define fuel
Substance that can be reacted with other substances to lead to the release of energy that can be harnessed for a specific purpose
State what the SI unit of energy is
Joule (J)
Define non-renewable resources
Those that are used faster than they can be replaced
Provide 3 examples of non-renewable fuels
- Coil
- Oil
- Gas
State what reserves of fossil fuels can be classified as
Limited
Describe how fossil fuels form
Formed from ancient plants, animals and microorganisms
State the energy source of fossil fuels
Chemical energy retained post-photosynthesis
State what chemical energy in fossil fuels can be considered
Trapped solar energy
Fossil fuel formation occurs over ________ of years
Millions
Outline the energy content of (black vs brown) coal
Brown < Black
Lowest of all fossil fuels (approx. 30MJ/kg)
Outline the renewability of coal
Non-renewable
Outline the environmental impacts of sourcing coal
- wildlife habitat destruction due to land clearing
- contamination of underground water deposits by heavy metals via mine wastewater
Outline the environmental impacts of combusting coal
- production of greenhouse gases CO2
- nitrogen and sulphur oxides react with water to form acid rain
- nitrogen oxides react with air at ground level to form ozone (contributing to photochemical smog)
Impacts similar to crude oil
Compare and contrast black and brown coal
Black coal contains less water and a greater percentage of carbon than brown coal - therefore, it has a higher heat value (making it economical to mine)
Outline the chemical composition of coal
Hydrocarbons, water, nitrogen, sulfur
Outline the renewability of crude oil
Non-renewable
Outline the chemical composition of crude oil
Hydrocarbons (mostly members of homologous series of alkanes), nitrogen and sulfur
State the process used to refine crude oil
Fractional distillation
State what the products of crude oil fractional distillation are
- LPG
- Petrol
- Kerosene
- Diesel
- Fuel oil
- Petroleum jelly
Outline the energy content of crude oil fractional distillation products
Greater than coal, less than petroleum gas
Outline the environmental impacts of sourcing crude oil
- habitat destruction (smaller scale to coal mining)
- water contamination via fracking
- oil spills during extraction below seabed
Outline the environmental impacts of combusting crude oil
- production of greenhouse gas CO2
- nitrogen and sulphur oxides react with water to form acid rain
- nitrogen oxides react with air at ground level to form ozone (contributing to photochemical smog)
Impacts similar to coal
State whether crude oil is a useful fuel source
No, but it contains many useful compounds
Outline the chemical composition of petroleum gas
Propane and butane
Outline the renewability of petroleum gas
Non-renewable
Outline the energy content of petroleum gas
Highest of all fossil fuels (approx. 56MJ/kg)
Outline the environmental impacts of sourcing petroleum gas
- habitat destruction via land clearing (smaller scale to coal)
- gas leaks (methane potent greenhouse gas - 10x more powerful than CO2)
Outline the environmental impacts of combusting petroleum gas
- production of greenhouse gas CO2
Releases less greenhouse gases/unit energy generated than coal & oil
Outline the renewability of coal seam gas
Non-renewable
Outline the energy content of coal seam gas
Highest of all fossil fuels (like petroleum gas)
Outline the chemical composition of coal seam gas
Methane
Outline the environment impacts of sourcing coal seam gas
- habitat destruction via land clearing for drilling
- gas leaks of methane
- water contamination via fracking
- depletion of groundwater sources
Outline the environmental impacts of combusting coal seam gas
- production of greenhouse gas CO2
Releases less greenhouse gases/unit energy generated than coal & oil
Similar to petroleum gas
State how coal is sourced
Open cut mining
State how crude oil is sourced
Drilling through bottom of seabed/landmass
State from what petroleum gas is derived from
Wet natural gas or crude oil
State how petroleum gas is sourced
Drilling
State from what coal seam gas is derived
Wet natural gas
State how coal seam gas is sourced
Fracking of wet coal deposits underground
Compare and contrast wet natural gas and coal seam gas location
Wet natural gas - deposited in ‘bubbles’ underneath rocks
Coal seam gas - mixed within deposits of wet coal underground known as coal seams
Outline the chemical composition of ethanol
CH3CH2OH
State how bioethanol is produced
Fermentation of glucose by yeast cells
Outline the energy content of bioethanol
Similar to coal
Outline the environmental impacts of sourcing bioethanol
- habitat clearing causing ecosystem changes that may be disadvantageous for wildlife
However, existing plantations can be utilised
Outline the environmental impacts of combusting bioethanol
- net production of CO2 into atmosphere
Similar to biodiesel
Outline the chemical composition of biodiesel
Mixture of fatty acid methyl esters (produced via modification of triglycerides)