Energy Sources, Transportation, Fossils & Fossil Fuels

Opening Prayer (ACTS Computer College)

  • Addressed to Almighty God and Father, Maker of Heaven and Earth, Giver of light & author of wisdom

  • Thanks for eternal graciousness and kindness to all children

  • Petitions:

    • Bless teachers with right judgment

    • Grant continual gift of the Holy Spirit → enlightens with wisdom, knowledge, understanding

    • Provide concentration for studies; order senses for optimal learning

    • Open heart to live, love, and share truths inspired by the Spirit

  • Vision for school: ACTS Computer College to grow as an altar of love & charity → may God’s presence be felt by all

  • Concludes “through CHRIST our Lord. Amen.”

Transportation in the Philippines

  • Common daily question for students: “How do you go to school?”

    • Motorcycle, bus, taxi, jeepney, etc.

  • Philippine transport landscape:

    • Traditional: Jeepneys (cultural icon & primary public utility vehicle)

    • Land: cars, vans, trucks, Grab, motor-taxis

    • Air: aircraft & related services

    • Water: ferries & shipping

  • Contribution: transports goods & services, sustains economy by enabling mobility and logistics.

Visual Vocabulary (What’s New?)

  • Listed vehicles (repeated for emphasis): jeepney, bus, taxi, car, van, truck.

Energy Sources & Transportation

Key Question

  • “Can you identify the energy source for each mode of transport?”

    • Jeepney → Diesel/Gasoline

    • Bus → Diesel/Gasoline

    • Motorcycle → Gasoline

    • Airplane → Aviation/Jet Fuel

    • Ferry → Diesel/Gasoline

Definition

  • Energy source = method/medium by which power is generated to satisfy human needs.

Master List of Energy Sources

  • Hydropower

  • Solar

  • Biomass

  • Oil

  • Coal

  • Geothermal

  • Wind

  • Nuclear

  • Natural Gas

Renewable vs. Non-Renewable

  • Renewable: Hydropower, Solar, Biomass, Geothermal, Wind.

  • Non-renewable: Oil, Coal, Nuclear, Natural Gas.

Thought Experiments

  1. If gasoline/diesel become unavailable:

    • Mobility disrupted, public & private transport halted

    • Delays in goods delivery; reduced access to services

    • Daily commuting difficulty; economic activities slow down

  2. Macroeconomic impact:

    • Transportation cost ↑, supply ↓ → \text{inflation}

    • Productivity down across sectors

    • Overall national growth adversely affected

Non-Renewable Resources & Fossil Fuels

Terminology

  • Non-renewable resource: “natural substance not replenished at the rate it is consumed; finite.”

  • Fossil fuels: coal, oil, natural gas → formed from ancient plants & animals (millions of years ago).

Formation Summary

  1. Organic material buried in sedimentary layers

  2. Subjected to intense heat & pressure over geologic time

  3. Transforms into high-energy substances (coal/oil/gas)

Environmental Reminder

  • Burning fossil fuels releases useful energy but also pollution (CO₂ & other greenhouse gases).

  • Necessity to seek cleaner, renewable alternatives for a healthier planet.

Fossils (Science Context)

Definition & Types

  • Fossil: preserved remains or traces of a plant/animal. Examples: bones, teeth, shells, leaves, footprints, trackways, coprolites (poop).

  • Body fossils: direct remains (bones, petrified wood, insects in amber, mammoths in ice).

  • Trace fossils: records of activity (footprints, burrows, coprolites).

Scientific Importance

  • Provide clues to extinction events, environmental changes, evolutionary history.

  • Pollution today is a modern extinction driver—students prompted to suggest additional causes.

Paleontology

  • Scientists = Paleontologists

  • Employ special excavation tools to avoid damage

  • Analyze age, origin, and environmental context of fossils.

Fossilization Process (Five-Stage Model)

  1. Death: soft tissues decay; hard parts remain.

  2. Burial: rapid coverage by sediment (mud, sand, silt, ash) protects remains.

  3. Lithification: accumulating layers compact → sedimentary rock.

  4. Petrification: mineral-rich water infiltrates, replacing bone with minerals, turning remains to stone.

  5. Exposure: erosion/uplift reveals fossils; scientists excavate & study.

  • Timescale: 10^3 – 10^6 years; oldest fossils ≈ 3.5\,\text{billion years}.

POP QUIZ (Concept Checks)

  1. Fossils are: B – preserved remains of plants & animals.

  2. Who studies fossils? C – paleontologists.

  3. Fossils can tell us: A – why an animal went extinct.

  4. What can be a fossil? C – all of the above (bones, teeth, poop, plants).

Fossil Fuels in Detail

Three Major Types & Basic Traits

  • Coal

    • Dark/black combustible sedimentary rock

    • Burned for heat, light, electricity

  • Oil (Petroleum/Crude)

    • Viscous liquid, convertible to petrol/diesel

  • Natural Gas

    • Mainly methane; used for cooking, heating, power

Coal Specifics

  • Extraction: surface or underground mining.

  • Philippine profile: ≈ 50\% of electricity from coal.

  • Four ranks:

    1. Anthracite – hard, brittle, highest carbon.

    2. Bituminous – most common, shiny, electricity generation.

    3. Sub-bituminous – dull black, greater heating value.

    4. Lignite – brown; lowest grade & carbon.

Oil Specifics

  • Formation: algae in marine/lacustrine mud, compressed over millions of years.

  • Extraction: on-land/offshore drilling via rigs/platforms.

  • Uses: transportation fuels, petrochemical products.

  • PH imports: Saudi Arabia, Russia; key companies – Petron, Pilipinas Shell, Chevron PH.

Natural-Gas Specifics

  • Characteristics: colorless, odorless, cleanest fossil fuel relative to coal/oil.

  • Extraction: hydraulic fracturing (water, chemicals, sand) or conventional wells.

  • PH source: Malampaya gas field (off Palawan).

Pros & Cons of Fossil Fuels

Advantages

  • Enable large-scale production of light, heat, electricity.

  • Cost-effective; high energy density; existing infrastructure.

Disadvantages

  • Finite: once depleted, cannot be replaced within human timescale.

  • Combustion releases \text{CO}_2 & greenhouse gases → climate change.

  • Linked to respiratory & other health issues.

Energy Conservation & Personal Responsibility

  • Importance of mindful energy use to reduce environmental impact.

  • Reflect on daily habits: transportation choices, electricity consumption, lifestyle adjustments.

  • Embrace renewable technologies to transition toward sustainable future.