how are fossil fuels formed???
Fossil fuel was formed over hundreds of millions of years ago by decomposing plants. After a long period of time, layers and layers of rock, mud, and sand covered the dead plants thousands of feet under the earth, which made them fossilized
Fossil fuels are formed through a natural process that takes millions of years. Here's how they are formed:
1. Formation of Organic Material: Fossil fuels are primarily composed of the remains of ancient plants and organisms that lived millions of years ago. These organisms absorbed energy from the sun through photosynthesis and stored it in their tissues.
2. Burial and Decay: Over time, when these plants and organisms die, their remains settle at the bottom of oceans, swamps, or other low-oxygen environments where decomposition is slow. This organic material gets buried under layers of sediment such as mud and sand.
3. Heat and Pressure: As more and more sediment accumulates over millions of years, the organic material gets subjected to increasing heat and pressure from the layers above. This process, known as diagenesis, causes the organic material to undergo chemical and physical changes.
4. Formation of Peat, Coal, Oil, and Natural Gas: Depending on the specific conditions of pressure, temperature, and the types of organic material, different fossil fuels can form.
i. Peat: With minimal heat and pressure, the organic material transforms into peat, a type of low-quality coal found in marshy areas.
ii. Coal: With increasing heat and pressure, peat undergoes further transformation and forms coal. Coal can be classified into different types, including lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous, and anthracite, based on its carbon content.
iii. Oil and Natural Gas: When organic material from marine organisms, such as algae and plankton, gets buried under thick layers of sediment, it undergoes a different process. As heat and pressure increase, the organic material decomposes, forming oil and natural gas. These fuels are predominantly found in underground rock formations, known as reservoirs.
It is important to note that the formation of fossil fuels takes an extremely long time, and the extraction and burning of these fuels impact the environment and contribute to climate change.
http://fossil.energy.gov/education/energylessons/coal/gen_howformed.html
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http://www.webmutations.com/energy/reports/past/repfossil.html