Where Does Our Gasoline Come From?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stephanus
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Gasoline
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the origins and production of gasoline and fossil fuels. Gasoline is derived from organic matter that has accumulated over millions of years, primarily from the Carboniferous period, which occurred around 350 million years ago. While fossil fuel formation is an ongoing process linked to the carbon cycle, the rate of new fossil fuel production is significantly slower compared to consumption. The conversation highlights that although coal continues to form today, the richest deposits are from earlier geological periods due to changes in decomposition processes, particularly the evolution of fungi that more effectively break down lignin, reducing the accumulation of organic material in younger deposits. The inquiry reflects a curiosity about the historical context and current dynamics of fossil fuel production.
Stephanus
Messages
1,316
Reaction score
104
Dear PF Forum,
I'd like to ask a questin regarding our use of gasoline.
Gasoline that we consume everyday, when did they come from?
Is it from Carbon Period 350 mya? or Before
And does Nature still produce fossil fuel?
And if it doesn't when did Nature stop producing fossil fuel? Cretaceous period?
It's just my curiosity.
I haven't got a definite answer. See if there's someone here knows.
I only get this from Wiki
...Many of the coal fields date to the Carboniferous period of Earth's history. Terrestrial plants also ...
Thank you very much
 
Chemistry news on Phys.org
Generally speaking fossil fuels are produced from the accumulated organic matter, and there are definitely places in the world today where organic matter from dying plants/plankton get accumulated. From the moment life started on Earth This process never stopped, as it is part of the normal carbon cycle.

How fast it was in different epochs of the Earth history is another question.
 
  • Like
Likes Stephanus
Borek said:
Generally speaking fossil fuels are produced from the accumulated organic matter, and there are definitely places in the world today where organic matter from dying plants/plankton get accumulated. From the moment life started on Earth This process never stopped, as it is part of the normal carbon cycle.

How fast it was in different epochs of the Earth history is another question.
From the moment there were life on earth. I like it. Now this 4.4? billions years process is consumed/spent/wasted only in 300 years?
 
While coal is still being formed, the richest deposits of coal are from the carboniferous era. The question arises why the deposits from younger ages aren't as extended as from the paleozoic. A possible answer is that this time coincides with estimates of the biological origin of the mycological enzyme systems to decompose lignin. I.e. after the carbon age, wood was decomposed much more effectively by fungi than before and this reduced the size of the deposits formed.

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/336/6089/1715.abstract
 
  • Like
Likes Borek and Stephanus

Thread 'Humidity of a saturated NaCl solution with anticaking additive'

I want to test a humidity sensor with one or more saturated salt solutions. The table salt that I have on hand contains one of two anticaking agents, calcium silicate or sodium aluminosilicate. Will the presence of either of these additives (or iodine for that matter) significantly affect the equilibrium humidity? I searched and all the how-to-do-it guides did not address this question. One research paper I found reported that at 1.5% w/w calcium silicate increased the deliquescent point by...
View full post »

Similar threads

Can Coal Deposits Explain the Fermi Paradox?
2
Replies
52
Views
8K
Methane from Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen
Replies
12
Views
66K
Producing Renewable Liquid Fuels from Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide
Replies
39
Views
5K
Making gasoline from seawater (to store energy)
Replies
35
Views
6K
Synhelion -- Using solar heliostat farms to create liquid fuels from Water Vapor and CO2
Replies
7
Views
2K
B Where does the energy of gravity come from?
2
Replies
73
Views
7K
Shouldn't they use carbon dioxide monitors?
Replies
16
Views
3K
Chemistry Where Did the 400g in Enthalpy Change of Neutralization Come From?
Replies
3
Views
2K
Carbon sequestration, how does it work? Is it practical?
Replies
5
Views
3K
Writing: Input Wanted What are the Consequences of a Longer PETM?
Replies
10
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top