CARBON 101 How fossil fuels are formed … Most of the Earth’s energy begins with the sun. Plants capture and store the energy of the sun through a process called photosynthesis, turning light into sugars. Animals get energy by eating the plants, or by eating other animals who do. SUN Plants and animals die and their decomposing material is covered by water or soil. The material is rich in chemicals such as hydrogen and carbon, built with the energy of the sun. The pockets of organic material are covered in layer after layer of rock. Time, pressure and heat transform the buried organic matter into hydrocarbons (fossil fuels). … how we extract them … … and how they contribute to warming Coal Coal beds can be located under layers of rock fairly close to the Earth’s surface or deep under ground. Coal is often extracted through strip mining at the surface or deep tunneling. The temperature of the Earth has risen 1°F during the past century. Many scientists believe this change is a direct result of the increased burning of fossil fuels for energy, creating carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Oil and natural gas They are found much deeper below the surface. Imaging technology is used to examine geological formations for likely oil-bearing areas. At sea, massive drills from ocean platforms are used to bore into the deposits. On land, wells are drilled, and pump jacks extract the oil. Natural gas reserves often exist within oil reservoirs. Creating CO2 When hydrocarbons are burned, they combine with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide (CO2). Some natural processes, such as forest fires and even breathing, also produce CO2. Warming The CO2 remains suspended in the atmosphere. CO2 allows sunlight to pass through the atmosphere while not allowing heat to escape. Scientists believe that this mechanism is a major contributor to global warming. The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere continues to rise, and the Earth’s natural ability to absorb it is thrown out of balance. Light passes through the atmosphere … KEY CO2 SOURCES TRANSPORTATION POWER PLANTS CEMENT PLANTS SWAMP OCEAN DRILLING PLATFORM PUMP JACKS STORED ENERGY FROM THE SUN Different types of fossil fuels were formed depending on the combination of animal and plant debris that was present, how long the material was buried, and what temperature and pressure existed when they were decomposing. Coal Formed from the remains of land and swamp plants. Oil Created from organisms that lived in the water and were buried under the ocean or river sediments. ANDRE MALOK, THE STAR-LEDGER Natural gas In most areas, oil formed first, but in deeper, hot regions under ground, the pressure and heating process continued until natural gas was formed. SOURCES: Environmental Literacy Council; U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy; Physical Geography.net; Johnson Matthey Catalysts … while heat is trapped SUN