Reliance On Fossil Fuels Flashcards
2 energy sources
Fossil fuels and renewables
What is a fossil fuel?
‘fuel consisting of the remains of organisms preserved in rocks in the Earth’s crust with high carbon and hydrogen content’.
They will run out and can’t be replenished in a human lifetime.
What is a renewable energy source?
‘a form of energy derived from natural sources that do not use up natural resources to harm the environment’.
What’s renewables
energy sources that will never run out or can be replenished in a human lifetime (as is the case with biomass such as wood if used in a sustainable manner).
Examples of renewables
wind, solar, biomass and tidal sources.
The formation of coal
Coal is formed from the dead remains of plants. These dead plants fall and accumulate on the ground over time. The ever increasing weight compresses the remains into peat. Over hundreds of millions of years this peat gets compressed and the temperature increases.
Eventually remains turn into different grades of coal which can be mined and used by humans
The formation of crude oil and natural gas
Natural gas and crude oil, thick black liquid, r formed from dead remains of sea organisms. These organisms die and settle at the bottom of the oceans. Other remain and sediment (small pieces of broken up rock) gather on top causing an increasing pressure on the dead remains. This increase in pressure causes an increase of temperature.
Over hundreds of millions of years, the pressure and temperatures are sufficient to cause crude oil to be formed. In underground crude oil wells, located throughout crude oil field, natural gases get trapped at the top with crude oil below.
What are the 3 fossil fuels
Coal, natural gas and crude oil
What was used before for transport,cooking and heating
Up until the Industrial Revolution(1760s), biomass (wood, grass, vegetation) was alongside wind was used for transport, cooking and heating. Horse and cart was primarily used for transport on land. Horses grazed grass.
Wind was used to power boats.
What was used before for transport,cooking and heating
Up until the Industrial Revolution(1760s), biomass (wood, grass, vegetation) was alongside wind was used for transport, cooking and heating. Horse and cart was primarily used for transport on land. Horses grazed grass.
Wind was used to power boats.
During the Industrial Revolution which country and continent switched to mass manufacturing techniques
Europe and the USA. Labour underwent the process of specialisation, ppl started to specialise in areas of their strengths, skills and education.
Employment became centralised in towns and cities, population increased rapidly in these locations.
Biomass wasn’t sufficient to meet the demands of developed nations. Coal and crude oil were increasingly used in every area, e.g transport, cooking,heating.
Nations reliance on fossil fuels
Nations reliance on fossil fuels accelerated through 1800 + 1900s.
As of the 1960s, 94% of the world used fossil fuels to supply their energy needs. This dropped to 80% in 2015.
L02, understand the importance of fossil fuels in the development of modern society by examining their uses as energy sources and as raw materials for manufacturing.
Plastics - crude oil used in production of plastics. Used for food packaging. Initiatives have been introduced such as charge for plastic bags.
Electronics use plastic extensively.
Pharmaceutics- crude oil used to make medicine (aspirin + penicillin). The larger volumes of prescribed drugs harm environment through increased extraction of crude oil.
Transport- relies on petrol and diesel
Fibres- used in textile industry (acrylic+nylon)
LO3 present the case for global action on fossil fuel conservation, referring to lifespan, location reserves and accessibility.
Why is global action required?
Global action is required as every nation uses fossil fuels. Also needed because use of excessive resources affect the whole world.
Why do we need to conserve fossil fuels
Rate of usage has expanded rapidly since Industrial Revolution
Fossil fuels take over 100 million years to form.
The lifespan of fossil fuels
Coal= longest= 114years
Natural Gas and crude oil = 50 years
Location of reserves and accessibility
Economic
When crude oil price is high - businesses explore more difficult to access crude oil fields. High prices- justify investment in new engineering solutions to drill to deeper depths.
Higher prices increase duration of crude oil
LO4. Discuss and draw conclusions from the evidence presented by global scientific community, for example, the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC), linking the combustion of fossil fuels with global warming and climate change.
IPCC evidence proves climate change is happening
1) more volatile weather patterns
2) sea temperatures have risen
3) ecological changes (damaging coral reefs)
4) polar ice caps are melting
5) rise in sea levels
6) higher co2 in atmosphere
7) increase in hurricanes
8) fewer cold days
9) hot days more common
LO5 explain the concept of carbon trading
LO6 comment on the value of carbon trading schemes as a viable option for reducing global carbon emissions
Carbon trading- is a method that aims to reduce carbon emissions of a nation, by providing incentives for major polluting industries.
