Fuel Types and Distribution

Flashcards covering key concepts and vocabulary related to fuel types, combustion processes, and their impacts.

Energy from Burning

The process where burning organic matter like wood, plants, and fossil fuels releases carbon into the atmosphere as CO2 or CO.

Complete Combustion

Combustion that occurs with enough oxygen, resulting in carbon dioxide and water as products.

Incomplete Combustion

Combustion that occurs with insufficient oxygen, leading to products like carbon monoxide and soot.

Subsistence Fuels

Fuels collected for individual energy needs, primarily biofuels like wood and charcoal, commonly used in developing countries.

Natural Gas

The cleanest burning fossil fuel, primarily composed of methane, that produces fewer harmful emissions compared to other fossil fuels.

Coal Types

Different types of coal used for fuel, categorized by their formation and energy content including lignite, bituminous, and anthracite.

Crude Oil (Petroleum)

A liquid fossil fuel that can be extracted from tar sands and requires extensive refining.

Acid Rain

Precipitation that has been acidified by pollutants such as sulfur oxides, often resulting from burning sulfur-rich coal.

Deforestation

The removal of trees, which can be necessary for collecting certain fuels, negatively affecting carbon sequestration and increasing soil erosion.

Fossil Fuels

Natural fuels formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals, including coal, oil, and natural gas.