Fossil fuels are non-renewable natural resources formed from the remains of prehistoric organisms. The term fossil fuel includes coal, oil and natural gas. These three fuels are used extensively in industry and transportation.
Fossil fuels were formed over millions of years from the remains of dead plants and animals. The energy stored in fossil fuels comes from the sun. Plants convert sunlight into chemical energy through photosynthesis. This energy is passed on to animals when they eat plants. When plants and animals die, their bodies are buried by sediment and eventually turn into fossil fuels.
Coal is a solid fossil fuel formed from the remains of plant material that has been subjected to high temperatures and pressures over millions of years. Coal is classified into four types: anthracite, bituminous, subbituminous, and lignite. Anthracite coal is the hardest and contains the most carbon content (85-95%). Bituminous coal is harder than anthracite but not as hard as subbituminous coal. Subbituminous coal contains less carbon than bituminous coal (45-70%). Lignite coal is the softest type of coal and has the least carbon content (<40%). Oil is a liquid fossil fuel formed from the remains of marine organisms such as algae and plankton that have been subjected to high temperatures and pressures over millions of years. Oil is classified into two types: crude oil and refined oil products. Crude oil consists of a mixture of hydrocarbons that must be refined before it can be used; this process separates out various fractions such as gasoline, kerosene, asphalt, etc., which have different uses. Refined oil products are used for transportation (gasoline), heating (kerosene), lighting (lamp oil), lubrication (motor oil), etc.. Natural gas is a gaseous fossil fuel formed from the remains of terrestrial organisms such as land plants that have been subjected to high temperatures and pressures over millions of years. Natural gas consists mostly of methane with small amounts of other hydrocarbons such as ethane, propane, butane, etc.. It is typically found in association with crude oil deposits but can also exist alone in underground reservoirs.. Fossil fuels are non-renewable natural resources because they cannot be replenished on a human time scale; once they are used up they are gone forever . The rate at which we use them far exceeds their rate formation; it would take many millions – even billions –of years to form new reserves at present rates consumption.. Additionally ,the combustion fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases including water vapor ,carbon dioxide ,and methane into Earth’s atmosphere ,causing climate change . Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperature , precipitation ,sea level ,and other measures climatic conditions . It can result naturally or due human activity ; burning fossi