Cars and lorries make carbon dioxide which is causing climate change. How do they make the carbon dioxide?

How do cars make carbon dioxide? Cars, lorries and buses need fuel to make them work. They usually need petrol or diesel. They fill up at petrol stations. Where does petrol and diesel come from?

Making petrol and diesel Petrol and diesel are made from oil. Oil is made naturally when fossilised sea creatures become buried deep underground. Oil is called a ‘fossil fuel’. The oil rig brings the liquid oil to the surface and the tanker takes it to the refinery. Oil contains lots of carbon but it is not yet carbon dioxide.

Making petrol and diesel The oil refinery converts the oil into petrol, diesel and other useful materials.

Tankers deliver the petrol and diesel

Cars use the petrol and diesel Cars and lorries have engines that burn petrol or diesel. This gives the energy to move them along the road. When the petrol and diesel burns, it is convered into carbon dioxide gas. The carbon dioxide escapes out of the exhaust pipe. Carbon contained in the oil is converted into carbon dioxide gas in the air. This adds to climate change.

So burning the petrol or diesel makes carbon dioxide. Think about ways to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that is made by cars and lorries. End presentation