Chemistry · General Awareness

Carbon and Fossil Fuels

1,898 Questions

Review fundamental concepts regarding carbon compounds, coal distillation, and fossil fuel formation. This segment covers the chemical properties and industrial applications of natural gas and crude oil. Practicing these questions will strengthen your chemistry foundation for general science sections.

Coal distillationPetroleum formationProperties of crude oilNatural gas applications

Carbon and Fossil Fuels Questions

Multiple choice

Petroleum was formed from ________.

  1. dead remains of plants

  2. dead remains of animals

  3. coal

  4. carbon dioxide

  5. sea water
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Dead remains of animals over millions of years gave rise to petroleum.

Multiple choice

Transesterification is a process used to produce which of the following compounds?

  1. Bioethanol

  2. Biodiesel

  3. Bioethers

  4. Biogas
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Biodiesel is made from vegetable oils and animal fats. Biodiesel can be used as a fuel for vehicles in its pure form, but it is usually used as a diesel additive to reduce levels of particulates, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons from diesel-powered vehicles. Biodiesel is produced from oils or fats using transesterification and is the most common biofuel in Europe.

Multiple choice

Consider the following facts:

  1. Since burning of biomass releases carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, it is not a good source of energy to reduce carbon dioxide emission.
  2. Majority of biomass production comes from animal sources.

Which of the above is/are true?

  1. Only 1

  2. Only 2

  3. Both 1 and 2

  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Biomass derived energy holds the promise of reducing carbon dioxide emission, a significant contributor to global warming, as carbon dioxide acts as a “greenhouse” gas by trapping heat absorbed by the earth from the sun. Although the burning of biomass releases as much carbon dioxide as the burning of fossil fuels, biomass burning does not release “new carbon” into the atmosphere, which the burning of fossil fuels does. The estimated biomass production in the world is 146 billion tonnes a year, consisting of mostly wild plant growth. Wood remains the largest biomass energy source today.

Multiple choice

A few people were staying in a room. On a cold night, when there was no electricity, one of them suggested that they burn coal in the room in order to get warmth. The others immediately declined this option. What could be the reason for this?

  1. Carbon monoxide is produced.

  2. Coal is expensive.

  3. Black soot will get deposited.

  4. Carbon dioxide is produced.

  5. Coal will get over-heated.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Carbon monoxide is produced, and this can be fatal for the people in the room.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not a use of diatoms?

  1. Insulation of pipes

  2. Preparation of dynamites

  3. Preparation of food items

  4. Resistance against fire
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Diatoms have several industrial applications due to their silica-based cell walls. They are used in insulation materials (diatomaceous earth for pipes and refrigerators), fire-resistant materials, and historically in dynamite preparation (to stabilize nitroglycerin). Diatoms are not used for food preparation - they are microscopic algae collected for industrial uses, not culinary purposes.

Multiple choice

How does carbon dioxide (CO2) help to put off fire?

  1. CO2 is lighter than oxygen. It covers fire like a blanket and cut off the contact between fuel and oxygen.

  2. CO2 is heavier than oxygen. It covers the fire like a blanket and cut off the contact between the fuel and oxygen.

  3. CO2 mixes with O2 and it changes the nature of oxygen which supports burning into non supporting gas.

  4. Carbon dioxide reacts with oxygen gas and thus changes the nature of oxygen, from supporting gas to non supporting gas.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Carbon dioxide is heavier than oxygen, so when sprayed on a fire, it settles down and forms a blanket over the burning material. This displaces the oxygen surrounding the fuel, cutting off the oxygen supply needed for combustion. It does not change the nature of oxygen or react with it - it simply physically separates fuel from oxygen.

Multiple choice

Why do substances like wax and kerosene oil burn while flaming flame?

  1. Wax and kerosene oil liquefied during burning and form flame

  2. Wax and kerosene oil vapourise during burning and produce flame.

  3. Flame is produced because kerosene oil and wax have low ignition temperature.

  4. Kerosene oil and wax are combustible substances and every combustible substance always produce flames on burning.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Wax and kerosene oil burn with flames because they vaporize during combustion. When heated, these substances first melt (in case of wax) or form vapours (in case of kerosene), which then mix with oxygen and burn producing a flame. Flame is produced only when gaseous substances burn. Not all combustible substances produce flames - charcoal burns without a flame because it doesn't vaporize.