Question

Coal, Petroleum (oil), and Natural Gas belong to which type of fuels?

• A. Chemical fuels
• B. Bio fuels
• C. Sunlight
• D. Fossil fuels

Hint:

Fossil fuels, including coal, petroleum, and natural gas, are a major source of energy but are non-renewable and contribute to environmental issues.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Analyze the Question

The question asks us to classify coal, petroleum (oil), and natural gas into a specific category of fuels. The options provided are: Option 1: Chemical fuels, Option 2: Bio fuels, Option 3: Sunlight, and Option 4: Fossil fuels. To answer, we need to understand what each of these fuels is and how they are categorized.

Step 2: What Are Coal, Petroleum, and Natural Gas?

Coal: A black or brownish-black solid material formed from the remains of ancient plants that were buried and subjected to heat and pressure over millions of years.

Petroleum (Oil): A liquid fuel found beneath the Earth’s surface, formed from the remains of ancient marine organisms like plankton and algae, also over millions of years.

Natural Gas: A gaseous fuel, primarily methane, formed alongside petroleum from the same organic matter under similar conditions.

All three—coal, petroleum, and natural gas—are derived from the remains of living organisms that lived millions of years ago. This is a key clue to their classification.

Step 3: Evaluate the Options

Let’s break down each option to find the correct classification:

Option 1: Chemical Fuels

Chemical fuels are substances that release energy through chemical reactions, such as combustion. While coal, petroleum, and natural gas do release energy when burned (a chemical reaction), this term is too broad. It could also apply to other fuels like hydrogen or alcohol, which aren’t related to the same origin as coal, oil, and gas. So, this option is not specific enough.

Option 2: Bio Fuels

Biofuels are fuels derived from recently living organisms, such as plants or animal waste. Examples include ethanol (from corn or sugarcane) and biodiesel. Coal, petroleum, and natural gas, however, come from organisms that lived millions of years ago, not recently. Therefore, they are not biofuels.

Option 3: Sunlight

Sunlight is not a fuel; it’s a form of energy from the sun. While sunlight plays a role in the formation of these fuels (plants used sunlight for photosynthesis millions of years ago, and those plants eventually became coal), sunlight itself is not a type of fuel. This option is incorrect.

Option 4: Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels are energy sources formed from the remains of ancient organisms (plants and animals) that were buried and transformed over millions of years under heat and pressure. Coal, petroleum, and natural gas fit this description perfectly—they are all derived from prehistoric organic matter. This option seems to be the most accurate.

Step 4: Confirm the Correct Answer

Coal, petroleum, and natural gas are universally classified as fossil fuels because of their origin from ancient organic matter. They are non-renewable resources, meaning they take millions of years to form and cannot be replenished on a human timescale. This aligns with Option 4: Fossil fuels.

Step 5: Why Not the Other Options?

Chemical fuels (Option 1) is too general and not a standard classification for these specific fuels. Biofuels (Option 2) are renewable and come from recent biomass, not ancient fossils. Sunlight (Option 3) is an energy source, not a fuel, and doesn’t apply here.

Final Answer

Coal, petroleum (oil), and natural gas belong to fossil fuels.

Correct Option: Option 4