Basics of organic chemistry

What are fossil fuels? Discuss different types of fossil fuels?

            Ans; Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of         buried dead organisms i.e plants and animals.

            These derivatives of plants and animals (fossils) exists in three states in nature as solid fossils          like coal , liquids fossils like petroleum and gas as natural gas.

            1; solid fossil fuel or coal.  It is an important solid fuel formed by the (slow biochemical      reaction) death and decay of plants matter buried under the soil millions of year ago.                  Coal consists of Carbon hydrogen oxygen sulphur and nitrogen.                                                               Coal is formed in different stages. They are                                                                                                   wood ------→ Peat ----→ Lignite -----→ sub bituminous ----→ Bituminous ......→ Anthracite             Anthracite isthe highest rank of coal containing highest percentage of carbon (91.5%)                2; Liquid Fossils; or petroleum;  the word petroleum mean rock oil as it is preset in the            underground porous rocks. It is also called mineral oil, crude oil or liquid gold. Petroleum is   viscous liquid having dark brown colour with unpleasant smell.                                                                   It composed of mixture of hydrocarbon containing alkane cycloalkanes and aromatic           hydrocarbons.                                                                                                                                                            3; Gas fossil or Natural gas; They are low molecular weight hydrocarbon like methan ,      Ethane . Propane and Butane. It is formed by the death and decay of animal matter and is        usually found above the underground deposit of petroleum.