fossil fuels ppw

Fossil Fuels Fossil Fuels

Monika IsaacMonika Isaac

What are fossil fuels?What are fossil fuels?

► Natural resources, Natural resources, such as coal, oil and such as coal, oil and natural gas, natural gas, containing containing hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons. These fuels are formed in fuels are formed in the Earth over the Earth over millions of years and millions of years and produce carbon produce carbon dioxide when burnt dioxide when burnt

Types of fossil fuels Types of fossil fuels ► CoalCoal►OilOil►WoodWood► petroleum and its petroleum and its

fractions and fractions and natural gas/gasesnatural gas/gases

► diesel diesel

How is coal formed?How is coal formed?► Coal was formed as massive Coal was formed as massive

amounts of vegetation died amounts of vegetation died and fell into the swamp-like and fell into the swamp-like surfaces that existed in the surfaces that existed in the heavily vegetated Earth of heavily vegetated Earth of the Carboniferous Period. the Carboniferous Period. Huge mats of waterlogged Huge mats of waterlogged plant material were formed plant material were formed that resisted decay. Over that resisted decay. Over millions of years, as the millions of years, as the climatic and geologic climatic and geologic conditions changed, these conditions changed, these plant sediments were plant sediments were covered and compacted by covered and compacted by other sediments, resulting in other sediments, resulting in their lithification. their lithification.

Different stages of coal Different stages of coal formationformation

► Peat – Stage One Peat – Stage One ► Peat is the first stage in the Peat is the first stage in the

formation of coal. Normally, formation of coal. Normally, vegetable matter is oxidized vegetable matter is oxidized to water and carbon to water and carbon dioxide. However, if plant dioxide. However, if plant material accumulates material accumulates underwater, oxygen is not underwater, oxygen is not present and so only partial present and so only partial decomposition occurs. This decomposition occurs. This incomplete destruction incomplete destruction leads to the accumulation of leads to the accumulation of an organic substance called an organic substance called peat. peat.


Lignite – Stage Two Lignite – Stage Two ► Lignite, the second stage, is Lignite, the second stage, is

formed when peat is formed when peat is subjected to increased subjected to increased vertical pressure from vertical pressure from accumulating sediments. accumulating sediments. Lignite is dark brown in Lignite is dark brown in colour and, like peat, colour and, like peat, contains traces of plants. It contains traces of plants. It is found in many places but is found in many places but is used only when more is used only when more efficient fuel is not efficient fuel is not available. It crumbles easily available. It crumbles easily and should not be shipped and should not be shipped or handled before use.or handled before use.


Bituminous Coal – Stage Bituminous Coal – Stage Three Three

► Bituminous Coal is the Bituminous Coal is the third stage. Added third stage. Added pressure has made it pressure has made it compact and virtually compact and virtually all traces of plant life all traces of plant life have disappeared. Also have disappeared. Also known as "soft coal”, known as "soft coal”, bituminous coal is the bituminous coal is the type found in Cape type found in Cape Breton and is our most Breton and is our most abundant fuel. It is abundant fuel. It is greatly used in industry greatly used in industry as a source of heat as a source of heat energy.energy.


► Anthracite – Stage Anthracite – Stage Four Four

Anthracite, the fourth Anthracite, the fourth stage in coal formation, stage in coal formation, is also known as "hard is also known as "hard coal" because it is hard coal" because it is hard and has a high luster. It and has a high luster. It appears to have been appears to have been formed as a result of formed as a result of combined pressure and combined pressure and high temperature. high temperature. Anthracite burns with a Anthracite burns with a short flame and little short flame and little smoke. smoke.

How is coal used as a fossil fuel?How is coal used as a fossil fuel?

► Coal are used primarily as Coal are used primarily as fuel for steam-electric fuel for steam-electric power generation. power generation. Additionally, it is an Additionally, it is an important source of light important source of light aromatic hydrocarbons for aromatic hydrocarbons for the chemical synthesis the chemical synthesis industry. industry.

► Coal, a fossil fuel, is the Coal, a fossil fuel, is the largest source of energy for largest source of energy for the generation of electricity the generation of electricity worldwide, as well as one of worldwide, as well as one of the largest worldwide the largest worldwide anthropogenic sources of anthropogenic sources of carbon dioxide emissions. carbon dioxide emissions.

How is oil formed?How is oil formed?► Oil and Natural gases have Oil and Natural gases have

formed from the remains of formed from the remains of plants and sea creatures. they plants and sea creatures. they are the result of the action of are the result of the action of heat and pressure on plant heat and pressure on plant and animal remains over and animal remains over millions of years, in the millions of years, in the absence of air. The crude oil absence of air. The crude oil we use today was formed we use today was formed millions of years ago but millions of years ago but crude oil is still being formed crude oil is still being formed today. More crude oil is today. More crude oil is formed every time an animal formed every time an animal or plant in the sea dies and is or plant in the sea dies and is squashed by layers of other squashed by layers of other dead marine life (that turns dead marine life (that turns into rock) over the top. This into rock) over the top. This takes a long time. takes a long time.

How is oil used as a fossil How is oil used as a fossil fuel?fuel?

► In North America, Native In North America, Native Americans used blankets to Americans used blankets to skim oil off the surface of skim oil off the surface of streams and lakes. They streams and lakes. They used oil as medicine and to used oil as medicine and to make canoes water-proof. make canoes water-proof.

► We use them to fuel We use them to fuel our airplanes, cars, and our airplanes, cars, and trucks, to heat our trucks, to heat our homes, and to make homes, and to make products like medicines products like medicines and plastics. and plastics.

How is natural gas formed?How is natural gas formed?► The main ingredient in The main ingredient in

natural gas is methane, a gas natural gas is methane, a gas (or compound) composed of (or compound) composed of one carbon atom and four one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. hydrogen atoms.

► Natural gas is made up of a Natural gas is made up of a combination of gases, which combination of gases, which consists largely of methane consists largely of methane (CH4) with lesser amounts of (CH4) with lesser amounts of ethane, propane and butane ethane, propane and butane as well as nitrogen, carbon as well as nitrogen, carbon dioxide and traces of some dioxide and traces of some other gases. The individual other gases. The individual proportions of each of the proportions of each of the components can vary based components can vary based on where the natural gas has on where the natural gas has been located.been located.

How is natural gas used as a How is natural gas used as a fossil fuel?fossil fuel?

► Natural gas is used to Natural gas is used to produce steel, glass, produce steel, glass, paper, clothing, brick, paper, clothing, brick, electricity and as an electricity and as an essential raw material essential raw material for many common for many common products. Some products products. Some products that use natural gas as a that use natural gas as a raw material are: paints, raw material are: paints, fertilizer, plastics, fertilizer, plastics, antifreeze, dyes, antifreeze, dyes, photographic film, photographic film, medicines, and medicines, and explosives. explosives.

What are refineries and why are they What are refineries and why are they important to the production of fossil important to the production of fossil

fuels?fuels?► A A refineryrefinery is a production is a production

facility composed of a group facility composed of a group of chemical engineering unit of chemical engineering unit processes and unit processes and unit operations refining certain operations refining certain materials or converting raw materials or converting raw material into products of material into products of value. value. Just as a paper mill Just as a paper mill turns lumber into paper, turns lumber into paper, a refinery takes crude a refinery takes crude oil and turns it into oil and turns it into gasoline and many gasoline and many other useful petroleum other useful petroleum products. products.

Exxon Valdez Oil SpillExxon Valdez Oil Spill ► On March 24, 1989, the tanker On March 24, 1989, the tanker

Exxon ValdezExxon Valdez grounded on grounded on Bligh Reef in Alaska's Prince Bligh Reef in Alaska's Prince William Sound, rupturing its William Sound, rupturing its hull and spilling nearly 11 hull and spilling nearly 11 million gallons of Prudhoe Bay million gallons of Prudhoe Bay crude oil into a remote, crude oil into a remote, scenic, and biologically scenic, and biologically productive body of water. It productive body of water. It was the largest single oil spill was the largest single oil spill in U.S. coastal waters.in U.S. coastal waters. In the In the weeks and months that weeks and months that followed, the oil spread over a followed, the oil spread over a wide area in Prince William wide area in Prince William Sound and beyond, resulting Sound and beyond, resulting in an unprecedented response in an unprecedented response and cleanup. and cleanup.

Deepwater Horizon Deepwater Horizon ► Deepwater Horizon oil rig Deepwater Horizon oil rig

exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, a exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, a massive oil spill continues to massive oil spill continues to threaten the ecology and threaten the ecology and economy of the U.S. Gulf Coast. economy of the U.S. Gulf Coast. The ever-growing oil slick now The ever-growing oil slick now measures approximately 130 measures approximately 130 miles by 70 miles – about the miles by 70 miles – about the size of the state of Delaware. size of the state of Delaware. Four states – Louisiana, Four states – Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida – are under threat from the spill. – are under threat from the spill.

► According to Reuters, BP, has According to Reuters, BP, has reported some progress slowing reported some progress slowing the flow of oil from the leaking the flow of oil from the leaking well. Crews in Louisiana have well. Crews in Louisiana have finished building the first of three finished building the first of three massive steel and concrete massive steel and concrete containment domes the containment domes the company plans to lower in place company plans to lower in place over one of the three leaks on over one of the three leaks on the ocean floor. BP expects to the ocean floor. BP expects to load the dome aboard a ship load the dome aboard a ship tomorrow for transport to the tomorrow for transport to the site.site.

fossil fuels ppw

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