Fossil Fuels Objective Sheet
Ch. 14 & 15
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Name __________________________
Explain in detail how hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is done.
Identify and explain the economic and national security benefits of fracking.
Identify and explain the environmental effects of fracking.
Identify the names and locations of the significant shale plays in the US.
Identify when fracking was first developed and when it became widely used. Explain
why fracking wasn’t used widely right away.
6. Describe the formation of oil, natural gas and coal in the carbon cycle. Explain how the
use of fossil fuels changes the balance of the carbon cycle.
7. Identify the key difference between a renewable fuel (or resource) and a nonrenewable
fuel (or resource). Give several examples of each.
8. Why are hydrocarbons a good source of fuel?
9. What is the difference between a resource and a reserve?
10. Distinguish among primary, secondary, and tertiary oil recovery.
11. How does 3D seismic imaging increase reserves?
12. Describe petroleum refining – what happens in a refining distillation column and what
products are created?
13. What is OPEC and how does OPEC control global oil prices?
14. Identify the major petrochemical exporting regions of the world.
15. What changes have the recent discoveries of new petrochemical reserves in the US
created?
16. Explain the concept of net energy and state its significance in evaluating energy
resources.
17. Briefly summarize the effects of an oil spill. Describe physical, biological and chemical
remediation approaches.
18. What and where was the Exxon Valdez accident? Describe what happened and the
effects of the accident.
19. Compare the Macando Deep Water Horizon BP accident to the Exxon Valdez accident.
20. Contrast “unconventionals” to the more common petroleum production systems.
21. Define tar sands and oil shales. Compare their net energy value to natural gas and
petroleum.
22. Describe the Keystone pipeline: Where does it already exist, what new section may be
built, what are the tradeoffs associated with this project?
23. What and where is ANWR? What arguments are there for drilling in this area, what
arguments are there to not drill there?
24. Contrast kinetic and potential energy and give examples of each.
25. Why are heat and electricity considered kinetic energy? (What is moving?)
26. Explain the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Give examples to illustrate each
law.
27. Describe the stages of coal formation including the relative water, carbon and sulfur
content at each stage.
28. What three countries have the greatest supply of coal? How many years’ worth of coal
does the US have?
29. Which air pollutants are emitted by the burning of coal?
30. List advantages and disadvantages of using coal as a fuel source.
31. Compare subsurface mining, strip mining and mountain top removal.
32. What power plant do we get energy from?
33. Describe how a typical electric power plant operates.
34. What technologies can be used to reduce air pollution from coal?
35. What types of coal are found in the Rockies and the Appalacians?
36. Describe coal gasification. Why is this referred to as “clean coal”? What pollutant does
it emit? What global environmental issue is this pollutant most closely associated with?
Mon Jan
Tue Jan
Wed Jan

Thur Jan 15
Fri Jan
 CH 14 PPT &
Discussion
Mon Jan
Tue Jan 20
Mon Jan
 Fracking PPT
& Discussion
 Fossil Fuels
 Lab Intro
 HW: Objs 1-15
 HW Fracking
opinion paper
Tue Jan 20
Mon Jan
 Oil Spills
 Review
 Stamp Objs
 Fracking paper
due
Tue Jan
Wed Jan
Wed Jan

Wed Jan
Thur Jan 22
Fri Jan 23
 Lab
 Fracking
Socratic
discussion
 Stamp Objs
 HW: Objs 1625
Thur Jan
 Ch 15
 Coal
 HW: Finish
Obs
 TEST
 All Objs due
 Lab Due

Thur Jan
Fri Jan
Fri Jan