1 List two positive comments or observations on fossil fuels

1). List two positive comments or observations on fossil fuels.

2). List two negative comments or observations on fossil fuels.

3). List two systems that use fossil fuels.

4). Find two articles that are related to fossils fuels.

5). What exhaust (car and/or truck) emissions are regulated by the EPA?

6). How will 54.5-MPG Fuel Efficiency Standards affect the future economy?

7). List some alternative power systems for the IC engines and the gas-turbines (jet engine).

Note that answers to problems 5, 6, and 7 must be supported by a reference (Journal, news article, & ….).

Solution

B) Other than the above observation, fossil fuels are easily available. fossil fuels have been of such a great source of energy, and there are many extractions going every day. Scientists and geologists try to find out coal mines and petroleum fields to explore more of the fossil fuel, as the pressure is increasing day by day due to increase in population and demand. Recent advancement in science and geology, the refineries and the extraction procedures have also improved and simplified a lot as compared to the earlier decades. This makes the availability even smoother.

2. A) The biggest issue now a days with fossil fuels are the rising prices, Middle-east countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and African nation such as Nigeria, have huge reserves of oil and natural gas and many other countries are dependent on them for constant supply of these fuels. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a group of 13 countries including Iran, Iraq and UAE are responsible for supplying 37 to 43% percent of the world’s oil production and hold the majority of the world’s oil reserves. OPEC has a close watch of all the natural gas and oil consumed worldwide and then according to the statistics adjusts it with their own production to maintain its desired barrel price, resulting in high fluctuations in oil rates per barrel.

B) Fossil fuels are needed in huge reserves wherever their plants are set up. This requires them to be transported to the desired location via truck, train, ship or airplane. Often we hear of some leaks in oil tankers or ship getting drowned deep under the sea that were carrying crude oil to get refined. The impact of this is that crude oil contains some toxic substances which when mixed up with water poses serious impact on aquatic life. Transportation of crude oil via sea can cause oil spill which can pose hazard to the aquatic life by lessening the oxygen content of water.

3. A) Coal is the most widely used fossil fuel for electricity generation, as the cost for producing steam via coal is 3 times cheaper than any other medium according to the Asian Coal Reserves 2013 they are also used in Steam locomotives to produce energy for the engine to work..

B) Diesel is used in Heavy commercial vehicles and trains, as they produce large amount of energy for engine to work for transportation heavy goods. In the United States, 93 percent of the energy we consume comes fromfossil fuels. We burn them in the form of gasoline and diesel fuel for cars

4. A) What are Fossil fuels? how are they formed ? Where do they come from? Let’s simplify.

I’ll focus on these: Oil, Natural Gas, Coal. Before the age of the dinosaurs, steamy swamps filled with giant trees and large leafy plants covered many parts of the earth.” As the trees and plants died, they sank to the swamp bottom where they formed layers of soggy dense material called peat. Over many centuries these beds of peat became buried by sand, clay and other mineral deposits forming sedimentary rock As the weight of the sedimentary rock grew, the water was squeezed out of the peat and the increased heat and pressure compacted the peat to form coal. Most coal mined today is believed to have been formed about 300 million years ago. The early stages of coal formation still continues today as trees and plants in swampy areas die and decay to form peat. However, the process of making this new coal will take millions of years.

B) Fossil fuels we burn today were formed from the tissues of organisms that lived 100-500 million years ago. Organic material is broken down in an anaerobic environment = one that has little or no oxygen. Bottoms of deep lakes, swamps, and shallow seas Organic matter is eventually converted into crude oil, natural gas, or coal. Some regions have substantial reserves, whereas others have very few. How long a nation’s reserves will last depends on: How much the nation extracts, uses, and exports. Nearly 45% of the world’s proven reserves of crude oil lie in the Middle East. The U.S. possesses more coal than any other country.People in developed regions consume far more energy than those in developing nations. Industrialized nations divide their energy use evenly between transportation, industry, and other uses. Developing nations use energy for subsistence activities (agriculture, food preparation, and home heating). Developing nations use manual or animal energy instead of fossil fuels. To harness, extract, process, and deliver energy requires substantial inputs of energy. Roads, wells, vehicles, storage tanks. Net energy = the difference between energy returned and energy invested. Net energy = energy returned – energy invested. Higher ratios mean we receive more energy than we invest. Ratios decline when we extract the easiest deposits first and now must work harder to extract the remaining reserves.