Environmental Impacts of Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels significantly impact the environment through extraction, transportation, and combustion. Extracting and transporting these fuels can cause surface damage, oil spills, and pipeline hazards. Burning fossil fuels releases harmful substances like carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter, contributing to air pollution and climate change. These pollutants can damage human health, causing respiratory issues and neurological damage, and lead to environmental problems like acid rain.

What is one of the environmental impacts of extracting fossil fuels?

• Oil spills

• Improved air quality

• Increased biodiversity

• Reduced soil erosion

What happens when fossil fuels are burned?

• They release oxygen

• They produce clean energy

• They reduce greenhouse gases

• They release harmful substances into the atmosphere

Which of the following is a major greenhouse gas released by burning fossil fuels?

• Oxygen

• Nitrogen

• Helium

• Carbon dioxide

Which of the following is NOT a pollutant released by fossil fuels?

• Helium

• Sulfur dioxide

• Carbon monoxide

• Nitrogen oxides

What is a health effect of particulate matter from fossil fuels?

• Improved vision

• Increased energy

• Stronger bones

• Lung damage

Which compound can react to form ozone, a hazardous substance?

• Volatile organic compounds

• Water vapor

• Methane

• Argon

What is a direct consequence of burning coal?

• Release of mercury

• Formation of ice caps

• Increased oxygen levels

• Decreased carbon emissions

What is a consequence of sulfur dioxide emissions from fossil fuels?

• Water purification

• Increased plant growth

• Ozone layer depletion

• Acid rain

Which pollutant is known to cause neurological damage in children?

• Carbon monoxide

• Nitrogen dioxide

• Lead

• Ozone

What is a global consequence of increased carbon dioxide from fossil fuels?

• Global cooling

• Global warming

• Decreased sea levels

• Increased polar ice