Carbon and Fossil Fuels

Petroleum is refined into gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, which are the primary energy sources for global transportation.

Fossil fuels are energy-rich substances formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals over millions of years. While they are nonrenewable, the specific term for the substances themselves is fossil fuels.

Petroleum is a naturally occurring liquid found beneath the Earth's surface, commonly referred to as crude oil before it is refined into products like gasoline.

Coal, petroleum, and natural gas are all classified as fossil fuels because they are formed from the remains of ancient organisms.

Because petroleum and natural gas are less dense than water, they float on top of the water layer trapped within porous rock formations.

Petrol and diesel are produced through the fractional distillation of petroleum (crude oil) in a refinery.

Natural gas is often found in the same geological reservoirs as petroleum and is considered a related fossil fuel, though it is a distinct substance.

Petroleum was formed from the remains of tiny marine organisms that died and were buried under layers of sediment on the ocean floor millions of years ago.

Kerosene is a common product obtained from the fractional distillation of petroleum. Coke is a product of coal, and vegetable oil is not a petroleum product.

Hydrocarbons are organic compounds consisting entirely of carbon and hydrogen atoms. They are the primary components of fossil fuels like petroleum and natural gas.

Carbon's ability to form stable covalent bonds with other carbon atoms allows it to create complex structures, including long chains and branched molecules.

The Wildlife Express Train at Disney's Animal Kingdom is powered by diesel engines.

Coal was the primary fuel source for steam engines during the Industrial Revolution because it provided the high heat necessary to boil water efficiently.

Kerosene is a common liquid hydrocarbon fuel used for heating, lighting, and cooking in many households.

Soot is the black carbonaceous deposit formed by incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon fuels. It consists mainly of carbon particles that deposit on surfaces.