INTERACTIVE WEBSITE FOR BIOFUELS
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Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas, are a non-renewable source of energy. They are formed from plants and animals that lived up to 300 million years ago. These fuels are burnt to release the chemical energy that is stored within them. Over 85% of our energy demands are met by the combustion of fossil fuels. When burning these fossil fuels, it causes the release of poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide and others which will cause air pollution.
Types of Fossil Fuels COAL  Pictures of a pile of coal Source: http://www.freefoto.com/ Coal is a black or brownish-black combustible rock. It is ready for use immediately after it is excavated from the mine and does not require any refining. Coal is mainly comprised of carbon and hydrogen. Coal is a primary energy source for electricity in the world. When the coal is burnt in power plants it generates heat to boil water to produce steam which in turn moves the turbine that is connected to the generator, which produces electricity. In summary, the heat energy of the coal is converted to electrical energy. NATURAL GASES Natural gas consists mainly of methane. Before natural gas is distributed to consumers, other by - products such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, helium and hydrogen sulfide are mostly removed. OIL  Oil Platform Source: http://www.freefoto.com/ Oil is formed from the decomposed remains of ancient plants and animals. It is a liquid mixture of varying hydrocarbons. Usually, oil is refined before it is used. It must be broken down into fractions and stored separately. |
