What are fosil fuels?

Answer 1

Coal, oil and natural gas.

Traditionally, a fossil fuel is any hydrocarbon that may be used as a source of energy. Coal, oil and natural gas are the three basic fossil fuels, formed 300 million years ago from organic plant and animal life subjected to great heat and pressure under the ground. They are classes as non-renewable sources of energy.

Note: the energy contained in a fossil fuel is the Sunlight energy that fell on the Earth in the past when the plant and animal life that comprises the fossil fuel was living.

Note: there have been hydrocarbons found in other places in the solar system (for instance Titan and Mars), and geologic sources of hydrocarbons are also possible, though the primary source on Earth is organic.

Longer answer

Fossil fuels are made primarily from anaerobic decomposition of plankton deposited in seas and oceans millions of years ago. There is some small component derived from plants and animals that were buried in prehistoric swamps and then put under high pressure for millions of years from the weight of the Earth's crust.

Over millions of years of time, heat and pressure turned the decomposing remains of the fossilized plants and animal into fuels, which release energy when burned. The fossil fuels include coal, petroleum, and natural gas which contain high percentages of carbon.

More information

Fossil fuels were formed from prehistoric plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. When these living things died, they decomposed and got buried under the layers of mud, rock and sand. Millions of years passed and the dead plants and animals slowly decomposed into organic material and fossil fuels.

The oil we use today comes from the decomposed remains of prehistoric plankton that fell to the seabed of ancient oceans and became entombed in the sediments forming there.

Coal is generally considered to be compressed plant matter from huge trees that became extinct many millions of years ago.

Fossil Fuels are hydrocarbons such as coal, oil and natural gas, sourced from the organic remains of prehistoric organisms. When these fuels are burnt, the energy released can be harnessed to produce electricity, power vehicles, heat homes, cook food and much more. They are also used in the production of important materials such as plastics.

Fossil fuels are called non-renewable resources because, once they have been used-up, it may take the Earth another 100 million years before anymore may be formed, if ever!

Summary:

Fossil fuels are formed by photosynthesis in anaerobic organisms and plants which used the Sun's energy to split carbon dioxide into carbon and oxygen. The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years and sometimes exceeds 650 million years. Fossil fuels contain high percentages of carbon and include coal, petroleum, and natural gas. When the carbon in the fuel is burnt with oxygen from the atmosphere, the energy that was used in photosynthesis is released and carbon dioxide is re-formed.

Answer 2

fossil fuels are from dead plants that have been in the ground for thousands of years

Answer 3

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