6.3 Fossil Fuels

A combustible fuel is a substance that can be _______ to release energy.

• Burned

• Frozen

• Dissolved

• Compressed

Fuels formed from the remains of plants and animals that died millions of years ago are called _______ fuels.

• Fossil

• Solar

• Nuclear

• Hydrogen

Most of the fossil fuels that we use today were formed about 300 (a)   years ago.

• thousand

• million

The three main fossil fuels are coal, crude oil and natural ___.

• natural gas

• water

• wood

• solar

Fossil fuels are being used at a much (a)   rate than the rate they form at. As a result, it is predicted that they will run out.

• faster

• slower

Fossil fuels are (a)   energy resources.

• non-renewable
• renewable

Which two of the following energy resources are non-renewable?

• crude oil

• wind

• solar

• coal

Which two of the following energy resources are renewable?

• crude oil

• wind

• solar

• coal

Coal is mostly formed from the remains of dead (a)   .

• animals

• plants

Starting with the numbered statement at the top, sort the statements into a paragraph that describes the formation of coal.

• 1

• Hundreds of millions of years ago, the remains of dead plants settled to the bottom of swampy areas.

• 2

• Eventually, heat and pressure turned the peat into coal.

• 3

• Sedimentary rock formed, applying pressure to the peat and squeezing the moisture out of it.

• 4

• Thick layers of decaying plant material built up and formed peat.

• 5

• Over time, layers of sediment were deposited on top of the peat by oceans and rivers.