Help
fossil fuel — English
All fuels derived from the fossilisation of living organisms. Three main types can be distinguished, namely: a) coal, coke (very high quality coal), and brown coal (low quality coal), b) oil and oil shale, and c) gas (such as methane). The first group is typically derived from plant organisms that are deposited in shallow fresh-water swamps and marshes, covered by sediments and under high pressure are turned into coal over millions of years. The second group derives from microscopic sea animals that die, sink to the bottom, are covered by ocean sediments and over thousands or millions of years under the influence of high pressure, the organic material turns into various forms of fuels, such as oil, oil shale and kerosene. Gas is associated with both of the groups. All fossil fuels are hydrocarbon compounds (that is, various combinations of hydrogen and carbon). All fossil fuels form over very long periods, and if we depleted all the available reserves, we cannot expect to have newly formed resources after a number of years. The chemical composition of all fossil fuels determines that the burning of these fuels will release carbon and hydrogen compounds into the atmosphere.
