COAL AND PETROLEUM

3 COAL AND PETROLEUM

Description

Quick Overview

The section discusses coal and petroleum as exhaustible natural resources, highlighting their formation, uses, and the importance of conservation.

Standard

This section explores the classification of natural resources into inexhaustible and exhaustible types, particularly focusing on fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum. It explains their formation from dead organic matter, their various applications, and emphasizes the necessity of conserving these valuable resources due to their limited availability.

Detailed

Coal and Petroleum

Natural resources can be classified into inexhaustible (unlimited) and exhaustible (limited) resources. This section primarily focuses on exhaustible resources such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas, which are also known as fossil fuels formed from the remains of living organisms over millions of years.

Formation of Fossil Fuels

  1. Coal Formation: Coal is formed from the dead remains of vegetation that had been buried under soil in ancient wetlands, subjected to heat and pressure, undergoing a process called carbonisation. This process converts organic material into coal over millions of years.
  2. Petroleum Formation: Petroleum is formed from marine organisms that settled on the ocean floor and were covered by layers of sand and clay. The absence of oxygen, high pressure, and temperature transform these organisms into petroleum and natural gas over millions of years.

Uses of Fossil Fuels

  • Coal: Used as a fuel for cooking, electricity generation (thermal power plants), and in various industries.
  • Products of Coal: Includes Coal Tar (used for roads, dyes, and plastics), Coke (used in metal extraction), and Coal Gas (used for heating).
  • Petroleum: Refined to produce petrol, diesel, and various petrochemicals that serve as raw materials for a multitude of consumer products. It's often referred to as black gold due to its economic importance.
  • Natural Gas: A cleaner fossil fuel used for heating, electricity generation, and as CNG for vehicles.

Conservation Awareness

Due to their limited availability and adverse effects on the environment, fossil fuels should be used judiciously. Conservation efforts are necessary to prolong their availability and mitigate pollution and global warming risks.

Key Concepts

  • Fossil Fuels: Non-renewable resources formed from ancient organic matter.

  • Coal Formation: Coal is formed through carbonisation of plant matter over millions of years.

  • Petroleum Formation: Petroleum is created from marine organisms under high pressure and temperature.

  • Uses of Coal: Includes cooking, electricity generation, and production of industrial materials.

  • Conservation: The importance of conserving fossil fuels due to their limited availability.

Memory Aids

🎵 Rhymes Time

  • In past lush green, now coal is seen, from plant remains, it became our dream.

📖 Fascinating Stories

  • Once upon a time, in a wetland forest, plants lived happily until natural forces buried them, turning them into coal over ages.

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • Fossil fuels - Coal (C), Oil (O), Gas (G); Remember: COG fuels our great needs.

🎯 Super Acronyms

PETRO - Petroleum Energy Technology Resources Oil

Examples

  • Coal is commonly used in thermal power plants to generate electricity.

  • Petroleum is refined to produce useful products like petrol, diesel, kerosene, and plastics.

Glossary of Terms

  • Term: Coal

    Definition:

    A solid fossil fuel formed from the remains of ancient vegetation.

  • Term: Coal Gas

    Definition:

    Gas obtained from coal processing, used primarily for heating.

  • Term: Coal Tar

    Definition:

    A thick liquid byproduct of coal, used in products like pavement and dyes.

  • Term: Coke

    Definition:

    Almost pure carbon, used as a reducing agent in metal extraction.

  • Term: Fossil Fuel

    Definition:

    Natural fuel formed from the remains of living organisms, including coal, petroleum, and natural gas.

  • Term: Natural Gas

    Definition:

    A gaseous fossil fuel, primarily used for heating and electricity generation.

  • Term: Petroleum

    Definition:

    A dark, oily liquid fossil fuel used for various energy and material products.

  • Term: Petroleum Refinery

    Definition:

    A facility that processes crude petroleum into useful products.