What are Fossil Fuels?
Fossil Fuels are fuels like in this picture are formed from the remains of dead plants and animals and contain high amounts of carbon. They tend to come in things such as coal and oil. Fossil fuels these days we dig up like coal and oil causing damage to the terrain of some areas. We have a lot of coal and oil but it wont last forever and it has downside like pollution and emitting greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. Currently we can cannot make our own fossil fuel because it takes millions of years to form on its own. Fossil fuels are non-renewable resources.
How do we use Fossil Fuels?
Fossil Fuels can be burned in order to create energy. As such, they are used in everyday things such as, cars, lights, and air conditioners. Coal was originally used for furnaces for melting metal ore. If we keep burning coal at the same rate today we will run out in about 147 years, this seem like a lot of years but it will run out eventually so we should change our ways of generating electricity.
How does it affect us?
In America, 90% of greenhouse gases come from the combustion of fossil fuels. As such, they thicken the atmosphere and contribute to global climate change. The combustion of fossil fuels generates sulfur, carbonic, and nitric acids which stays in the atmosphere for a long time and causes acid rain. Fossil fuel also releases uranium and thorium, which pollutes the air and water. Combustion of Fossil Fuels results in smog, which causes illness and weak crops.