Question

Describe why coal and petroleum are referred to as "fossil fuels."

Answer 1

Fossil fuels:

1. The breakdown of plants and animals produces fossil fuels. These fuels, which can be found in the Earth's crust and contain carbon and hydrogen, can be burned to generate energy.
2. Fossil fuels come from millions of years old fossils. Decomposed plant and animal materials are used to create these fuels.
3. Dead and decaying materials were buried beneath the Earth for thousands of years, where it was transformed into fossils by tremendous pressure and temperature. Hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulfur are among the components found in fossil fuels, in addition to carbon.

The reason why coal and petroleum are called "fossil fuels":

1. Coal and petroleum are both composed of dead material that has been buried beneath the earth for a very long time. By decomposition, the dead matter turns into fossils at extremely high pressure and temperatures which are then used as fossil fuels.
2. Thus, coal and petroleum are called fossil fuels.