Energy & Fossil Fuels
Energy and Fossil Fuels
January 30, 2012
I will be covering different types of energy and how they are converted into other forms of energy. I will also discuss what fossil fuels are, alternatives to fossil fuels and the advantages and disadvantages of alternatives. There are several different forms of energy and how it can be converted from one type to another. According to The Law of Conservation of Energy; energy can neither be created or destroyed, only transferred and transformed. Energy in the form of heat can be transformed into mechanical energy. One way we can see this process is in a power plant. A power plant burning coal will produce heat energy, heat energy transfers to the water causing water to turn into steam, steam move the turbine due to pressure, energy is now transfer from heat to mechanical energy, then mechanical energy is converted to electrical by the generators. Fossil fuels are basically any carbon based substance that is used as a source of energy. Fossil fuels are formed from the remains of dead animals and other organisms. An animal or plant dies and its remains are covered by sediment over time. As more layers start to cover the remains, they start to act like a press. The heat and pressure over time convert these organic remains into the hydrocarbons we mine as fossil fuels. Some of the most common fossil fuels are gas, coal and oil. Fossil fuels are an attractive source of energy because they are easily accessible and require very little to collect them and can be used to operate or provided constant power and heat for several applications. Some of the alternatives to fossil fuels are solar energy and biofuels are just a few. Solar energy through the use of solar panels converts energy from the sun into electricity. Some of the advantages of solar energy are they can do anything fossil fuel energy can do, with far less pollution involved and lower operating costs compared
January 30, 2012
I will be covering different types of energy and how they are converted into other forms of energy. I will also discuss what fossil fuels are, alternatives to fossil fuels and the advantages and disadvantages of alternatives. There are several different forms of energy and how it can be converted from one type to another. According to The Law of Conservation of Energy; energy can neither be created or destroyed, only transferred and transformed. Energy in the form of heat can be transformed into mechanical energy. One way we can see this process is in a power plant. A power plant burning coal will produce heat energy, heat energy transfers to the water causing water to turn into steam, steam move the turbine due to pressure, energy is now transfer from heat to mechanical energy, then mechanical energy is converted to electrical by the generators. Fossil fuels are basically any carbon based substance that is used as a source of energy. Fossil fuels are formed from the remains of dead animals and other organisms. An animal or plant dies and its remains are covered by sediment over time. As more layers start to cover the remains, they start to act like a press. The heat and pressure over time convert these organic remains into the hydrocarbons we mine as fossil fuels. Some of the most common fossil fuels are gas, coal and oil. Fossil fuels are an attractive source of energy because they are easily accessible and require very little to collect them and can be used to operate or provided constant power and heat for several applications. Some of the alternatives to fossil fuels are solar energy and biofuels are just a few. Solar energy through the use of solar panels converts energy from the sun into electricity. Some of the advantages of solar energy are they can do anything fossil fuel energy can do, with far less pollution involved and lower operating costs compared