Chemistry Term Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Chemistry Term Paper - Essay Example Fossil fuels are the fuels that have developed over millions of years through various natural processes. Thousands of centuries ago, when plants and animals perished, their fossils gradually became a part of the soil. These were pushed deeper into the earth and were acted upon by intense pressure and temperatures. Over the years, the fossils underwent slow chemical and physical changes, and gradually attained the state they possess now. The main types of fossil fuels are coal, petroleum and natural gas. Because the global economy is powered by fossil fuels, it is critical to know how long world reserves will last. However, estimating the world’s remaining fossil fuel reserves requires extensive information, including comprehensive geological maps of the world’s sedimentary basins, models of energy production systems, and data showing world energy consumption patterns and trends. When estimating the world’s fossil fuel supply, experts distinguish between reserves and resources. Reserves are fossil fuel deposits that have already been discovered and are immediately available. Resources are fossil fuel deposits that geologists believe are located in certain sedimentary basins, but have not yet been discovered. Because geologists base fossil fuel resource estimates on the location, extent, and formation of deposits recovered in geologically similar basins, resource estimates are less certain than reserve estimates. Both reserve and resource estimates are revised as data about new and existing deposits become available. Because fossil fuels are being consumed at much faster rates than they are produced in the earth’s crust, humankind will eventually deplete these nonrenewable resources. While it is unclear how far in the future this will happen, there is evidence that some regions are becoming depleted in certain types of fossil fuels. For example, production of crude petroleum in the United States