Fuel Types and Uses

These flashcards cover various fuel types, their uses, formation processes, and environmental impacts as outlined in the lecture notes.

Wood

Commonly used as fuel in the forms of firewood and charcoal, often in developing countries due to easy accessibility.

Peat

Partially decomposed organic material that can be burned for fuel.

Lignite

A type of coal that has the lowest energy density and quality.

Bituminous

A type of coal with a higher energy density than lignite, used for fuel.

Anthracite

The highest quality and most energy-dense type of coal.

Natural Gas

The cleanest fossil fuel, mostly methane, producing fewer pollutants when burned.

Crude Oil (Petroleum)

Oil extracted from underground deposits, also recoverable from tar sands.

Cogeneration

A process where a fuel source generates both useful heat and electricity.

Fractional Distillation

Process used to separate different hydrocarbons from crude oil based on boiling points.

Biomass Fuel Sources

Fuels derived from organic materials, easily accessible in developing countries.

Wood

Commonly used as fuel in the forms of firewood and charcoal, often in developing countries due to easy accessibility.

Peat

Partially decomposed organic material that can be burned for fuel.

Lignite

A type of coal that has the lowest energy density and quality.

Bituminous

A type of coal with a higher energy density than lignite, used for fuel.

Anthracite

The highest quality and most energy-dense type of coal.

Natural Gas

The cleanest fossil fuel, mostly methane, producing fewer pollutants when burned.

Crude Oil (Petroleum)

Oil extracted from underground deposits, also recoverable from tar sands.

Cogeneration

A process where a fuel source generates both useful heat and electricity.

Fractional Distillation

Process used to separate different hydrocarbons from crude oil based on boiling points.

Biomass Fuel Sources

Fuels derived from organic materials, easily accessible in developing countries.

Fossil Fuels

Non-renewable energy resources formed from the remains of ancient organisms, including coal, oil, and natural gas.

Tar Sands

Deposits of moist sand and clay containing bitumen, which can be refined into oil through energy-intensive processes.

Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking)

A technique used to extract natural gas or oil from deep rock formations by injecting high-pressure fluids.

Methane (CH_{4})

The primary component of natural gas and a potent greenhouse gas when released into the atmosphere.

Combustion

The chemical process of burning fuel in the presence of oxygen to release energy, typically producing CO_{2} and water.

Non-renewable Resources

Energy sources that exist in finite amounts and are consumed faster than they can be replaced by natural processes.

Carbon Dioxide (CO_{2})

A primary greenhouse gas emitted during the combustion of fossil fuels, contributing to global climate change.

Energy Efficiency

A measure of the percentage of energy that is performanced into useful work rather than wasted as heat.