Fossil Fuels Leah, Marcelo, Alex

What are fossil fuels? Fossil fuels are fuels with chemically stored energy The most common fossil fuels are oil, natural gas, and coal They were formed millions of years ago and are found deep in the earth’s crust Produced by decomposition of buried animal/plant matter due to high pressure from material on top and bacteria Mostly made of carbon

Advantages Able to be found anywhere on earth Power plants are able to generate huge amounts of energy at a time, as the fossil fuels combust quickly Relatively cheap with a high power output (energy density) Able to be used by a large variety of devices Most fossil fuels can be stored for extended periods of time and in different environments, as all forms of fossil fuel energy consist of hydrogen and oxygen, making it consistent throughout all fossil fuels Modern systems are designed around these forms of fuels

Disadvantages The combustion of coal, oil, and natural gases releases air pollutants such as acid rain-inducing sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, and other fine particulates that contribute significantly to greenhouse gases and global climate change. This mining using pipes and other manmade materials that can destroy habitats and harm entire ecosystems for plants and animals and even harm native tribes of people through eminent domain. Some of this natural harm comes from the water and air pollution caused by the extraction of these fuels and the combustion of them in power plants. Miners are also often harmed in this extraction process. Fossil fuels are nonrenewable and will run out

Alternative Renewable Energy Sources to Fossil Fuels Solar power Wind power Hydropower Geothermal energy Why? Because fossil fuels are finite sources of energy Because they contribute to greenhouse gases and pollution Because they are harmful to ecosystems, animals, miners, and more

Method of Processing Power: Coal Coal is typically used primarily used to generate electricity and is responsible for 39% of the electric power supply in the U.S.

Method of Processing Power: Natural Gas Typically used for heating buildings One method of heating is forced air heating in which the natural gas is burned, heating the air, which is then pumped throughout the building (diagram at right) For heating, the chemical energy of the natural gas is transformed to kinetic energy of the air molecules

Method of Processing Power: Oil Typically used to provide mechanical energy for transportation purposes through a combustion engine In the engine, gasoline, a product of oil, is combusted in a cylinder forcing the piston out to crank the motor. This is done repeatedly to constantly turn the motor In this way, the chemical energy of the oil (gasoline) is transformed into mechanical energy for engines

Sankey Diagram for Coal Coal has 35% efficiency Natural gas has 60% efficiency Oil has similar efficiency to coal

Additional Information For the entirety of the twentieth century and even long before that, renewable energy was either inexistent or much more costly, so fossil fuels were the more cost-efficient option. However, as time has passed and technology has advanced, costs of renewable energy sources have fallen 75% below what they averaged back in 2009, marking a modern transition to renewable energy. This modern transition in energy sources is transitioning from fossil fuels and nuclear energy to natural forms of energy such as solar, hydroelectric, wind, and more.

Physics Application/Equations

Bibliography http://www.eesi.org/topics/fossil-fuels/description Summary of fossil fuels and uses http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/aqa_pre_2011/energy/mainselectricityrev1.shtml Describes fossil fuels for power stations and their disadvantages https://occupytheory.org/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-fossil-fuels/ Summary of the advantages and disadvantages of fossil fuels http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter08.html Overview of formation and extraction of fossil fuels http://burnanenergyjournal.com/petroleum-natural-gas-and-coal/ Detailed summary of uses of fossil fuels http://www.earthday.org/2015/02/02/are-renewables-as-cost-effective-as-fossil-fuels/ Cost-efficiency comparison of fossil fuels versus renewable energy