Transcript What Are Fossil Fuels

What Are Fossil Fuels?
What is a fossil fuel?
Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons such as coal, oil and natural
gas, sourced from the organic remains of prehistoric
organisms.
A lump of coal, liquid petroleum and a gas flame are all
fossil fuels.
• When these fuels are burnt, the energy released can be
harnessed to produce electricity, power vehicles, heat
homes, cook food and much more. They are also used in
the production of important materials such as plastics.
How Do Fossil Fuels Form?
In order to answer this
question, we must first
distinguish oil and gas
from coal. Generally
speaking, oil and gas are
formed from the organic
remains of marine
organisms which become
entrained within sea-floor
sediments. Coal, by
contrast, is typically
formed in non-marine
settings from the remains
of land vegetation.
Oil and gas formation begins with
the accumulation of organics on
the sea-floor; these are the dead
remains of organisms living in the
water column, such as
microscopic plankton, which rain
down on the sea floor below.
As the sediment pile becomes
deeper the organics within it are
subjected to heat and pressure
which leads to formation of oil
and then gas.
Coal typically forms on land from
vegetation in lowland, swampy, mire
environments. Stagnant waterlogged
soil prevents the accumulated plant
debris from breaking down. The
recognizable remains of plants are
often visible within coals and
associated shale, confirming their
plant-origin. The picture shows a
piece of coal containing a network of
fossilized fern leaves - clear evidence
that it was formed from vegetable
remains
Will Fossil Fuels Run Out?
Fossil fuels are essentially a non-renewable energy
source. The geological processes which create them
take millions of years, so they cannot be replaced
within human timescales once they have gone. It is
impossible to estimate when fossil fuels will
disappear, but within the next 100 years it is
widely believed that the cost of finding and
extracting new deposits will render them too
expensive for everyday use.
What are the alternative renewable
Renewable energy sources can
energy
sources?energy
provide comparable
production and heating. At
present some technologies are cost
inhibitive, but the rate of
technological development is
making them more affordable with
time. Other examples of renewable
energy sources include water
powered turbines, wind turbines,
solar panels, tidal generators, and
nuclear power.
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