PHY 121 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Carboniferous, Plate Tectonics, Nature Reserve
10 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
In the united states, we have both proved and unproved resources. Top 3 fossil fuels: coal, oil and natural gas. Oil and natural gas are under the umbrella term of petroleum. Most natural gas is in proved reserves because we invented fracking. In the united states of america, we are producing a lot more of our own oil. Demonstrated base = amount of something worth extracting. But that doesn"t mean that it is possible to be extracted because it may be in a wildlife preserve or another protected area. Technically recoverable = anything that is fair game to extract. Currently recoverable = everything that can be extracted without opening a new operation. Origin: all fossil fuels are a form of solar energy, stored by organic matter through photosynthesis. Photosynthesis = carbon dioxide + water + energy = carbohydrates + oxygen. +we can reverse photosynthesis to liberate energy (oxidation). Carboniferous period was 300 million and the world was covered in vegetation.
