Fossil Fuels Essay

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Fossil Fuels Report What are Fossil Fuels? The Combustion of fossil fuels Fossil fuels are made up of hydrocarbons which are compounds that contain the elements hydrogen and carbon. Examples are methane, CH4, propane, C3H8 and butane, C4H10. Hydrocarbons readily burn or undergo combustion reactions. Combustion may be complete or incomplete. Complete combustion of fossil fuels results the production carbon dioxide and water. The incomplete combustion of fossil fuels results in the formation of carbon monoxide and soot (carbon). Complete Combustion of Methane: Methane + oxygen carbon dioxide and water CH4 + 2O2 CO2 + 2H2O Incomplete Combustion of Methane: Methane + oxygen carbon monoxide and water CH4 + 1.5O2 CO + 2H2O Incomplete Combustion of Methane: Methane + oxygen carbon and water CH4 + O2 C + 2H2O In real life there is a mixture of carbon monoxide and soot from the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons as well as unburnt hydrocarbons. (http://www.chemicalformula.org/reactions/combustion) Equations for Photosynthesis: Light Light Chlorophyll Chlorophyll Word Equation: Carbon Dioxide + Water Glucose + Oxygen Light Light Chlorophyll Chlorophyll Balanced Equation: 6CO2 + 6H2O C6 H12 O6 + 6O2 (http://www.chemicalformula.org/photosynthesis) Fossil fuels were formed over hundreds of millions of years ago by decomposing plants. After a long period of time, layers and layers of rock, mud, and sand covered the dead plants under the earth, which caused them to become fossilized. Oil and natural gas were formed in the same process as each other, but coal was formed differently. Oil and Natural Gas were formed by organisms - plankton and plants that lived in fresh water and were buried under rivers and oceans. The pressure and bacteria combined to make oil and natural gas. Oil and natural gas had started to

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