What do we need from a fossil fuel?

What do we need from a fossil fuel?

• like we need it to make plastic.

• Answer:

  Fossil fuels have been a widely used source of energy every since the Industrial Revolution just before the dawn of the 20th century. Fossil fuels are relatively easy to use to generate energy because they only require a simple direct combustion. However, a problem with fossil fuels is their environmental impact. Not only does their excavation from the ground significantly alter the environment, but their combustion leads to a great deal of air pollution. The heat that is recovered upon combustion of the fuel can be used by us in several ways. Industrial processes that require extremely high temperatures may burn a great deal of very pure coal known as "coke" and use the energy released to directly heat a system. Some people make use of clean burning natural gas to heat their homes. Combustion of fossil fuels can also be used to generate electricity; the fuel is burned to heat water, and the steam from the boiling water spins turbines that power a generator, thereby manufacturing electricity. Although there are many different types of fossil fuels, we have chosen three that we feel are especially important to discuss its benefits: coal, petroleum, and natural gas. 1. Petroleum, or "crude oil," a liquid fuel that is present in various locations throughout the world, has many uses, from the generation of electricity to the manufacture of medicines, plastics, and other commercial items. 2. Another type of fossil fuel is the coal. Nearly all the different forms of coal are used in some way or another. For instance, peat has been used for burning in furnaces, whereas bituminous coal is used extensively for the generation of electricity. "Coke," a very pure form of coal with a high heat content is used primarily in the steel industry, where high temperatures are required. 3. The Natural gas is almost always found in deposits of petroleum. When the petroleum is drilled, natural gas is also recovered. Wells with only natural gas also exist. Once the natural gas is recovered, certain fuels that have primarily automative purposes are extracted by processes called condensation or absorption. The remaining gas is piped directly for commercial and residential applications. Many houses, offices, and other buildings are heated by natural gas heaters.