6.3 Fuel Types and Uses
6.4 Distribution of Natural Energy Resources
6.5 Fossil Fuels
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE
ENG-3.C.1 Wood is commonly used as fuel in the forms of firewood and charcoal. It is often used in developing countries because it is easily accessible. ENG-3.C.2 Peat is partially decomposed organic material that can be burned for fuel. ENG-3.C.3 Three types of coal used for fuel are lignite, bituminous, and anthracite. Heat, pressure, and depth of burial contribute to the development of various coal types and their qualities. ENG-3.C.4 Natural gas, the cleanest of the fossil fuels, is mostly methane. ENG-3.C.5 Crude oil can be recovered from tar sands, which are a combination of clay, sand, water, and bitumen. ENG-3.C.6 Fossil fuels can be made into specific fuel types for specialized uses (e.g., in motor vehicles). ENG-3.C.7 Cogeneration occurs when a fuel source is used to generate both useful heat and electricity. ENG-3.D.1 The global distribution of natural energy resources, such as ores, coal, crude oil, and gas, is not uniform and depends on regions’ geologic history. ENG-3.E.1 The combustion of fossil fuels is a chemical reaction between the fuel and oxygen that yields carbon dioxide and water and releases energy. ENG-3.E.2 Energy from fossil fuels is produced by burning those fuels to generate heat, which then turns water into steam. That steam turns a turbine, which generates electricity. ENG-3.E.3 Humans use a variety of methods to extract fossil fuels from the earth for energy generation. ENG-3.F.1 Hydrologic fracturing (fracking) can cause groundwater contamination and the release of volatile organic compounds. |
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