Fossil Fuel

• What are fossil fuels a product of?


  Biological material being compressed in the Earth for millions of years
• How do fossil fuels originate?


  From the breakdown of the remains of living organisms from millions of years ago
• What are the three main types of fossil fuels?

  Oil, coal, and natural gas
• Why can fossil fuels be used as an energy resource?

  They contain large amounts of chemical energy
• How is energy released from fossil fuels?


  By burning the fuel
• What happens to the chemical energy in fossil fuels when they are burnt?


  It is converted into thermal energy
• What is the role of thermal energy in fossil fuel burning plants?


  It heats up water to create steam
• What does the rising steam do in a fossil fuel burning plant?

  It spins a turbine
• What type of energy is generated by the turbine in a fossil fuel burning plant?

  Kinetic energy
• What is produced in the generator from the kinetic energy of the turbine?


  Electrical energy
• Is the energy from fossil fuels limitless?


  No, once a fossil fuel has been burnt, it cannot be used again
• What happens to the energy in fuel when it is burnt?


  It is converted to other forms, not destroyed
• Are fossil fuels renewable or non-renewable?


  Non-renewable
• Why are fossil fuels considered non-renewable?


  They take millions of years to replace after use
• What happens to fossil fuel stores over time?


  They are used up before they can be replaced
• How quickly can a fossil fuel store be depleted?


  Over just a few years
• What are the overall advantages and disadvantages of fossil fuels?


  Advantages:

  • Can be used at any time (not weather dependent)
  • Release large amounts of energy

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Non-renewable and in limited supply
  • Release greenhouse gases (e.g., carbon dioxide)
• What is a key environmental concern associated with burning fossil fuels?


  They release greenhouse gases
• What contributes to global warming when fossil fuels are burnt?

  Carbon dioxide released during combustion
• What is the purpose of understanding how fossil fuels are made and burned for the exam?


  To help describe energy changes and their advantages and disadvantages
• What resources does Launchpad Learning offer for GCSE revision?


  • Interactive quizzes
  • Easy to follow videos
  • AI tutor support