Chapter 5

COAL and PETROLEUM

C. APPLICATION BASED QUESTIONS:-

I SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q1. What are fossil fuels?

Ans 1 ) Fossil fuels are sources of energy that have developed within the earth over millions of years.

Q2) Name any four components of petroleum.

A 2) The four components of petroleum are:-

a) Kerosene

b) Diesel

c) Gasoline (petrol)

d) Paraffin wax

Q3.What is fractional distillation?

A3) The process of separation of a mixture into its constituents based on their boiling points is called
fractional distillation.

Q4. What is coal?

A4) Coal is a black or brownish black rock like substance made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen , nitrogen
and varying amounts of sulphur.
Q5) Write any three features of coal?

A5) a) Coal is called as a fossil fuel as it is formed from the dead remains of vegetation.

b) It mainly contains carbon.

c) When coal burns it mainly produces carbon dioxide gas along with heat energy

Q6) Why should we conserve natural resources?

Ans 6) We should conserve natural resources as they are limited and take millions of years to develop.

II. Long Answer type Questions.

1) Explain the process of coal formation in nature.

Ans 1) Millions of years ago, plants and trees died and sank into swamps and bogs that covered most of
the Earth’s surface. This created a soupy plant- filled like matter called peat. The peat become buried
under layers of sediment, and water was squeezed out. Over the course of millions of years, compounds
within the peat were subjected to heat and pressure, transforming them into the carbon –rich substance
that we know as COAL.

(**DRAW HERE FIG 5.1 ON Pg 76 **)

Q2)How is destructive distillation done?

A2)The process by which coal is heated at high temperature in the absence of air to produce coke ,coal
tar and coal gas is called destructive distillation.

In destructive distillation coal is heated upto 1000 0 C in the absence of air to obtain different useful
components. The process is as follows:-

a)The powdered coal is placed in hard glass test tube and heated strongly till it changes into coke, which
stays back in test tube as a grey porous residue.

b)Some carbon present in the vapours ,solidifies near the mouth of hard glass test tube and is called gas
carbon

c)When these vapours are passed through water ,a large amount of these vapours condense to form
distinct layer

d)The lower layer consists of black ,thick liquid and is called coal tar

e)The top clear layer contains ammonical liquor

f)A colourless gas bubbles out of flask which is called coal gas

(**DRAW HERE FIG 5.2 ON PG 77*)

Q3) List the properties and uses of bituminous and anthracite coal.

TYPES OF COAL PROPERTIES USES

Bituminous It is also known as black lignite It is used to generate power

.It contains around 70% - 86% of and to manufacture other fuels
carbon. such as coke and coal tar.

Anthracite It is hardest coal. It contains It is mainly used as a fuel for

about 96% of carbon. Hence it is steam engines and furnaces.
the highest quality of coal. It
burns with more heat and gives
less dust and soot

Q4) Explain why fossil fuels are exhaustible natural resources?

Ans 4) Fossil fuels are exhaustible natural resources since they require millions of years to form and
are limited and are likely to get exhausted by human activities.

The formation of fossil fuels is a very slow process, it takes millions of years. Hence, the amount of
resources available for use is limited and is being exhausted by human activities like industrialization,
rapid growth, etc. Thus, fossil fuels are exhaustible natural resources.
Q5)How is burning of fossil fuel harmful to the environment

A5)The burning of fossil fuels leads to the release of harmful products into the environment.

a) Incomplete burnt fuels release carbon monoxide gas into the atmosphere which is very poisonous.

b)A large amount of carbon dioxide is released due to the combustion of fossil fuels .Carbon dioxide is a
greenhouse gas that is responsible for global warming which leads to the melting of polar caps and a rise
in the sea level and further in the flooding of coastal regions.

c)Burning of coal and diesel releases sulphur dioxide gas which is extremely suffocating in nature.Petrol
gives off oxides of nitrogen.The oxides of sulphur and nitrogen get dissolved in rainwater and form acids
which is known as acid rain.This water is very harmful to plants ,animals and various monuments.

Q6) Write the differences between exhaustible and inexhaustible natural resources.
Q7) Draw a well labelled diagram showing fractional distillation of petroleum

A7) (DRAW FIG 5.4 ON PG 79)