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 biology coal, petroleum and petrochemicals carbon cycling mineral coal carbon cycle coal and its products

On which factor does the calorific value of coal depend on?

  1. Ash content

  2. Size of coal particles

  3. Moisture content

  4. Volatile material
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The calorific value of the coal depends upon its ash content. Less the ash content present, more is the calorific value of the fuel i.e. the fuel which has less ash content produces more energy on burning. Higher the calorific value, more is the efficiency of the fuel.

Multiple choice biology coal, petroleum and petrochemicals carbon cycling mineral coal carbon cycle coal and its products

Bituminous is a:

  1. the most common form of coal

  2. most widely used in the United States

  3. a soft, intermediate grade of coal

  4. all of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Bituminous coal or black coal is a relatively soft coal containing a tarlike substance called bitumen or asphalt. It is of higher quality than lignite coal but of poorer quality than anthracite and has a high heating (Btu) value . Formation is usually the result of high pressure being exerted on lignite. Bituminous coal is an organic sedimentary rock formed by diagenetic and sub metamorphic compression of peat bog material. Its primary constituents are macerals: vitrinite, and liptinite. The carbon content of bituminous coal is around 60–80%; the rest is composed of water, air, hydrogen, and sulfur.

Multiple choice biology coal, petroleum and petrochemicals carbon cycling mineral coal carbon cycle coal and its products

___________ is a brownish-black coal with generally high moisture and ash content, and the lowest carbon content.

  1. bituminous

  2. lignite

  3. anthracite

  4. sub-bituminous
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Lignite is brownish-black in color and has a carbon content around 60–70 percent, a high inherent moisture content sometimes as high as 75 percent, and an ash content ranging from 6–19 percent compared with 6–12 percent for bituminous coal. The energy content of lignite ranges from 10 to 20 MJ/kg (9–17 million BTU per short ton) on a moist, mineral-matter-free basis.

Multiple choice biology coal, petroleum and petrochemicals carbon cycling mineral coal carbon cycle coal and its products

Lignite is:

  1. high moisture and ash content coal

  2. low moisture and ash content

  3. has the highest heating value and lowest moisture

  4. the hardest type of coal,
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Lignite is brownish-black in color and has a carbon content around 60–70 percent, a high inherent moisture content sometimes as high as 75 percent, and an ash content ranging from 6–19 percent compared with 6–12 percent for bituminous coal.

Multiple choice biology coal, petroleum and petrochemicals carbon cycling mineral coal carbon cycle coal and its products

Which is the primary state in transformation of coal?

  1. Peat

  2. Bitumen

  3. Anthracite

  4. Lignite
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The process of conversion of lignite to anthracite is called coalification or metamorphism of coal.
Coal is classified on the basis of its rank. The rank of coal denotes its degree of maturity. Vegetable matter, under the action of pressure, heat and anaerobic conditions, gets converted into different stages of coal namely:
Wood → Peat → lignite → sub-bituminous coal → bituminous coal → anthracite.
Peat is the first stage in the formation of coal.

Multiple choice biology coal, petroleum and petrochemicals carbon cycling mineral coal carbon cycle coal and its products

Select the correct statement from the given:

  1. Peat is the most abundant rank of coal

  2. Peat has a heating value between 8300 and 13000 British Thermal Units per pound on a mineral-matter-free basis.

  3. Peat is an organic sediment.

  4. Peat has a carbon content of between 60 and 70%
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The rank of coal is based on the degree to which the original plant material has been transformed into carbon.

The ranks are as follows:
(i) Anthracite (ii) Bituminous coal (iii) Sub-bituminous coal (iv) Lignite
Peat is mainly composed of wetland vegetation. Therefore, principally bog plants including mosses, sedges and shrubs. So, it is organic sediment.

Multiple choice biology coal, petroleum and petrochemicals carbon cycling mineral coal carbon cycle coal and its products

Which among the following coal contains highest $\%$ of Carbon?

  1. Peat

  2. Bituminous

  3. Anthracite

  4. Lignite
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The rank of coal is based on the amount of the plant converted into carbon.

Based on this four types of coal are generated:-
(i) Anthracite= $90$% carbon
(ii) Bituminous= $70$% carbon
(iii) Lignite= $40$% carbon
(iv) Peat= $28$% carbon
Anthracite has highest % of carbon.

Multiple choice biology coal, petroleum and petrochemicals carbon cycling mineral coal carbon cycle coal and its products

Properties of one of the mineral coal is given below. Identify the mineral coal.
(1) It is a matured form of mineral coal. 

(2) It contains 94% to 98% carbon.
(3) Its heat energy is about $33\, kJ \,gram^{-1}$

  1. Bituminous Coal

  2. Lignite

  3. Peat

  4. Anthracite
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The mineral coal with given properties is Anthracite.

Anthracite is coal of a hard variety and contains relatively pure carbon and burns with little flame and smoke. The carbon content is highest. Very few impurities are present. The energy density is highest in Anthracite when compared to all types of coal except for graphite. Anthracite has the highest ranking of coal.

Multiple choice evs - i substances, objects and energy renewable resources alternative fuels and energy sources alternative sources of energy

Which of the following is not a gaseous fuel?

  1. CNG

  2. Coal gas and water gas

  3. Gobar gas and acetylene

  4. Liquid hydrogen.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
Solid fuels include peat, coal, wood, biomass.
Liquid fuels include petroleum, alcohol.
Gaseous fuel includes natural gas.
Liquid hydrogen (LH2 or LH2) is the liquid state of the element hydrogen.
Multiple choice evs - i substances, objects and energy renewable resources alternative fuels and energy sources alternative sources of energy

Which one of the following is not a characteristic of a good fuel?

  1. No emission of smoke or harmful gases

  2. High ignition temperature

  3. High calorific value

  4. Not much ash(residue) after burning
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation
Characteristics of a good fuel are as follows:
1. Cheap and easily available.
2. Easy to store and transport.
3. Low ash content.
4. Should not produce any harmful substances.
5. High calorific value.
6. Moderate ignition temperature. 
Multiple choice evs - i substances, objects and energy renewable resources alternative fuels and energy sources alternative sources of energy

Hydrogen is not used as a household fuel because:

  1. it is highly combustible gas

  2. its transportation is difficult

  3. Is not easily available

  4. all of these are true
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
Though hydrogen has the highest calorific value, it is not used as a household fuel because:
1. It is not easily available and this makes it costly too.
2. It is highly combustible.
3. Transportation is difficult.