Science Unit 6 Lesson 1 Flashcards
Fossil fuels are formed by what?
Fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, and natural gas) are fuels formed in the earth from plant or animal remains
Fossil fuels are considered a
Fossil fuels are considered nonrenewable resources that will eventually run out.
What is the most abundant fossil fuel in world, and can found in ever continent?
coal
What is coal mainly used for?
Electrcity; It is the largest energy source for generating electricity worldwide.
Coal is a hydrocarbon. What is the definition of hydrocarbon?
Compound of hydrogen and carbon
When did coal formation begin?
300 million years ago
Which type of organisms does coal come from?
Plants and algae
Where did coal formation happen?
in swamps;
On Earth, seas were wide and shallow, and forests were dense. The forests were overtaken with water, which trapped algae and plants at the bottom of swamp wetlands.
Explain how coal is made from high pressure, compression, and temperature.
Over millions of years, the dead plants (mostly mosses) and algae were buried under layers of sediment and rocks. The high pressure and compression from these layers caused temperatures to increase. The high temperatures and acidic water prohibited plant matter from receiving oxygen. As a result, the plant matter decayed slowly. As it decayed, it kept most of its carbon, its main energy source. Through this process, peat was changed to carbon-rich coal far below Earth’s surface.
How did temperate contribute to the decay of the plants and algae?
(Coal)
The high temperatures and acidic water prohibited plant matter from receiving oxygen. As a result, the plant matter decayed slowly. As it decayed, it kept most of its carbon, its main energy source.
What are the places that this matter (that will make up coal) is buried called?
(Coal)
Places underground where this matter was buried are known as peat bogs.
Summary of coal formation
- Plants (mainly mosses) and algae died and fell to the bottom of swamps.
- Over time, sediment, rocks, sand, and water built up on top of the decaying matter.
- The sediment, rocks, sand, and water continued to build and apply pressure and heat to the matter underneath
- High temperatures and pressure restricted oxygen from reaching the decaying matter, leaving only carbon-rich coal.
Oil is a fossil fuel consisting a mixture of _________.
hydrocarbons
Where is oil found?
It exists in liquid form underground in reservoirs or in tiny spaces within sedimentary rocks.
How is oil extracted from ground?
It is extracted from the ground through drilling.
What are petroleum products made from?
Crude oil and natural gas
What is oil mainly used for?
Oil’s biggest use today is in the production of gasoline, which fuels the transportation industry.
Natural gas is a fossil fuel is made up of many compounds, what is the largest element in natural gas?
Methane
Where is most natural gas found?
Most natural gas is found in spaces and cracks between rocks.
How is natural gas extracted?
It is extracted by either drilling or by hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking.
How does fracking work in extracting natural gas?
Fracking consists of breaking the rocks to release the natural gas.