3.1.18

Non-Renewable Energy - Fossil Fuels

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Fossil Fuels

We get some of our energy from fossil fuels. Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and gas. They are non-renewable.

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Fossil fuels

  • Fossil fuels include coal, oil and gas.
  • They are non-renewable or finite.
  • Fossil fuels take millions of years to form.
  • Fossil fuels are made incredibly slowly.
  • Fossil fuels are currently being used up faster than they can be replaced.
  • The fossil fuels can be extracted through drilling and mining.
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Formation of fossil fuels

  • Fossils fuels are formed from the organic remains of plants and animals.
  • Plants originally get their energy from the Sun in photosynthesis.
  • The plant and animal remains are covered by sediment.
  • Because of the intense heat and pressure, organic matter changes into coal, oil, and gas.
  • Coal is formed from dead plants that grew in swampy conditions.
  • Crude oil and natural gas have been formed from the remains of small microscopic marine creatures and plants.
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Fossil fuels to electricity

  • In the past couple of years, electricity produced from fossil fuels has dropped from 75% to around 50%.
  • Fossil fuels are burnt to generate electricity in power stations.
  • This heats up water in a boiler. Water gains energy and changes state from liquid water to water vapour.
    • Water vapour turns a turbine.
    • The turbine turns a generator that generates electricity.
  • Electricity is then carried over the national grid to homes, schools and businesses.
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Burning fossil fuels

  • Burning fossil fuels produce carbon dioxide.
    • Fuel + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water.
  • Fossil fuels contain carbon. The carbon reacts with oxygen to form carbon dioxide.
  • Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.
  • Greenhouse gases contribute to climate change.
  • Sulfur inside coal also reacts with oxygen to form sulfur dioxide.
  • Sulfur dioxide is the cause of acid rain.

Jump to other topics

1Biology

1.1Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2Reproduction & Variation

1.3Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4Digestion & Nutrition

1.5Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6Biological Systems & Processes

2Chemistry

2.1Particles

2.2Chemical Reactions

2.3Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4The Periodic Table

2.5Materials & the Earth

2.6Reactivity

2.7Energetics

2.8Properties of Materials

3Physics

3.1Energy

3.2Forces & Motion

3.3Waves

3.4Electricity & Magnetism

3.5Matter

3.6Space Physics

4Thinking Scientifically

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