Hydrocarbons (containing natural resources which are not educed from plants or animals) found on the surface of the crust are fossil fuels. Also known as mineral fuel sometimes, these fuels have availed the development of large-scale industries, and has replaced the combustion of wood for heat. These fuels are sources of non-renewable energy as they exhaust at a faster rate than their formation and take millions of years for their formation. Coal, petroleum, natural gas and heavy crude oil are the most demanded and consumed fossil fuels in the world due to their legion purposes. These fossil fuels are derived from the remains of organic matter and terrestrial plants.
Due to their role of melting metal ore, coal is said to be the vastly consumed fossil fuel, which was discovered even before recorded history. But, due to the tremendous development in transportation industry, petroleum plays an equal role in respect to usage as well as demand and consumption. As a by-product of petroleum, Natural Gas is also found to be a highly productive source of fossil fuel. Heavy crude oil, the name derived due to their high density (“heavy”), is also becoming important as a source of fossil fuel.
The largest source of carbon dioxide (one of the greenhouse gases) is emitted from the burning of fossil fuels by humans which contributes to global warming. Combustion (chemical reactions that take place between fuels and oxidant producing heat and light) of fossil fuels pollutes the air by producing nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and other air pollutants. Due to this reason, monuments and other sculptures are becoming vulnerable to destruction.
As already mentioned, since these fuels take more time for their formation than depletion, it is important for everyone to understand the necessity of their proper usage. In economic sense, when the consumption of fossil fuel increases, it’s price also increases thus creating more demand for renewable sources of energy. But, production of renewable sources are more expensive, thus people should understand the situation and renewable sources and non-renewable source should be used in equal proportions and wisely to create a better environment.