Fossil Fuels Flashcards

Flashcards about Fossil Fuels

Coal Seam

Bands of coal visible within bedrock.

Two major applications of coal

Electricity generation and steel manufacturing.

Hydrocarbons

Compounds composed mainly of carbon and hydrogen.

Oil Formation

Sediments (marine snow) build up on the floor of a shallow sea ecosystem; decomposition does not occur due to lack of oxygen; sediments become buried; heat and pressure convert the sediments to hydrocarbons.

Most oil and gas deposits can be traced back to:

Shallow seas in the Mesozoic Era.

oil extraction

Drilling a borehole, lining the borehole with cement, and transporting the oil by pipeline, tanker truck, or supertanker ship.

Fractional Distillation

Crude oil is gradually heated, and individual components are collected as they boil off. Separation is based on molecule size and boiling temperature.

Main applications of oil and gas

Transportation (gas, diesel, fuel oil).

Hydraulic Fracturing

Drilling into shale rock

Impacts of Fracking

Millions of gallons of water are used; generates waste water containing hazardous chemicals and contaminates drinking water; small earthquakes.

Main uses of natural gas

Source of heat and generate electricity.

Boiler (Coal-Fired Power Plant)

Where fossil fuel is burned.

Turbine/Generator

Steam spins, which rotates a magnet in a generator, creating electric current.

Power Lines

Electricity transported through high-density power lines.

Condenser

Returns steam to liquid water to be recirculated.

Stack

Releases air pollution, soot, ash, and carbon dioxide from the boiler high into the atmosphere.

Cooling Tower

Releases excess heat in the form of steam.

Ash Ponds

Store non-combustible material present in coal and contains toxic heavy metals.

Air Pollution (Metric)

Greenhouse gas and other emissions per unit of energy.

Energy Return on Investment (ROI)

Ratio of energy harvested per unit of energy used to access the resource.

Land Use

Electricity generated per hectare.

Reserves-to-Production Ratio

Estimated years remaining of resource.

Steps in Oil Formation

1. Marine Snow: Accumulation of organic matter on the seafloor.
2. Anaerobic Conditions: Lack of oxygen prevents decomposition.
3. Burial: Sediments are buried under layers of new sediments.
4. Conversion: Heat and pressure transform the sediments into hydrocarbons.

Transportation of oil via pipelines, tanker trucks, or supertank

Boiler (Coal-Fired Power Plant)

Where fossil fuel is burned.

Turbine/Generator

Steam spins, which rotates a magnet in a generator, creating electric current.

Power Lines

Electricity transported through high-density power lines.

Condenser

Returns steam to liquid water to be recirculated.

Releases air pollution, soot, ash, and carbon dioxide from the boiler