Is natural gas earth friendly?

Question

Me and my friend are doing a science project and we want to know if natural gas is earth friendly.

Answer 1

It depends on what you ate for super last night sometimes it can be awful other times it is only a moderate inconvenience and can be alleviated with an open window.

It also depends a lot on who else is nearby,the degree of friendship you share with them and what ate for dinner as well.

Answer 2

Natural gas isn't entirely 'earth friendly'. It comes from fossil fuel like oil. When it burns, it still emits CO2. However it is some what cleaner when burned and there is plenty of natural gas available. It doesn't produce as much BTU as gasoline and harder to store for automobile use.

Answer 3

I would say no,b/c its still a poisonous gas even thou it came from earth ,Natural gas is a gaseous fossil fuel consisting primarily of methane,,(very toxic)

Every thing is earth friendly,the earth will go on,,but its definitely not people freindly

Answer 4

Well it comes from Earth. It is formed from organisms that once lived on Earth.

Some would argue no because when you burn any hydrocarbon fuel you get the release of CO2, which some believe to be speeding up global warming.

Answer 5

If it came out of the Earth in the first place, then it is

Answer 6

natural gas is a fossil fuel and as such the burning of it deposits acids and co2 into the atmosphere. it is less than oil or coal. see the attached article.:Effects of Fossil Fuels on the Environment

Coal, oil, and natural gas are America's primary source of energy. Most American’s are generally aware that fossil fuels are harmful but are still not fully aware why. The byproducts from burning fossil fuels are very dangerous. These small particles can exist in the air for an indefinite amount of time. The particles can even get into the lungs causing several problems. Over a lifetime of continued exposure, a person’s ability to transfer oxygen and get rid of pollutants in their body becomes much harder. Those affected could get fatal asthma attacks and other serious lung conditions. Recently, respiratory diseases were found to have caused several disabilities and illnesses. Because the contamination is growing rapidly, the earlier people become aware of the effects of fossil fuels on the environment the faster we can reduce the harmful effects.

There are many products that result from the reaction of burning coal that impact the environment. Sulfur in the coal reacts with oxygen in the air making sulfur oxides. Nitrogen oxides form during the combustion by oxidation of nitrogen in the air. Carbon dioxide is formed by the oxidation of the carbon in the coal. Ozone is made as a product of the reaction of nitric oxide with oxygen. Surface mining also affects the land by damaging surface vegetation. This temporary time can permanently change the landscape as with mountain-top removal and valley fill operations. This is when valleys and streams are filled with the debris from mining. This greatly affects wildlife and their homes. This process changes the water underneath the surface and can ruin drinking water in wells. Coal mining contributes to water pollution. Coal contains pyrite, a sulfur compound and as water washes through the mines, forming a mild acid, which is taken to nearby rivers and streams.

Compared to other fossil fuels, the burning of natural gas is the cleanest. Coal and oil have higher carbon ratios and higher nitrogen and sulfur contents. This means that coal and oil give more harmful emissions when burned. Coal and fuel oil also release ash particles into the environment, the particles not burned are carried into the atmosphere causing pollution. The burning of natural gas releases very small amounts of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, barely any ash, and lower levels of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. The leading pollutant released when burning natural gas is carbon dioxide, but compared to other fossil fuels it is considered very little. The transportation of the gas through pipelines causes most of the pollution from natural gas. Compression stations disrupt the natural wildlife around them. Though natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel it has a big impact on the ozone layer. Natural gas is mainly made of methane, a greenhouse gas. Methane traps more heat that Carbon Dioxide, which makes people begin to wonder how big of an impact natural gas has on the ozone layer. All in all, natural gas causes less pollution than coal or oil and for right now is the cleanest fossil fuel we have.

The drilling, transportation, and use of oil cause pollution. Oil spills leave waterways and their shores not fit to live in for long periods of time. Spills usually end up losing a majority of plant and animal life in the area. Oil greatly effects wildlife when spills occur. They harm marine birds, mammals, and fish. Many animals even try to clean themselves but are poisoned after ingesting the oil. Oil spills endanger many species. A lot of oil pollution is caused by domestic incidents. Most oil poured down drains from homes finds its way to streams, rivers, and the sea. The largest contribution of oil into the world’s oceans is from pouring oil down the drain. There are many incidents when oil is spilled, during delivery or when storage tanks are filled, when storage tanks leak because they are not maintained, or because they are not protected from vandalism. Oil can affect our drinking water when carelessly disposed of in drains or soaked in the ground.

If these issues are not made aware to the American public then the problem will continue to exist in full effect. The best thing to do at this point is make people aware and hopefully people will individually do their part to reduce fossil fuel pollution.



References



1.) Coal Mining, Acid Rain and Global Warming?

www.mines.utah.edu/~wmep/LE_136/Lectureout/LE13609.html



2.) Effects of Marine Oil Spills.

www.itopf.com/effects.html



3.) Natural Gas and the Environment.

www.naturalgas.org/environment/naturalgas.asp



Reflection



This essay allowed to to learn the different effects of fossil fuels on the environment. I found that the use of coal causes greenhouses gas emissions. Natural gas is the cleanest form of fossil fuels. It's interesting to see that Penn State is beginning to take part in using more environmental friendly sources of energy by using natural gas in the CATA bus systems. If more universities of big businesses began to use these sources it would make people more aware that there is something being done.



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Answer 7

I think so! Science is not aware of how determined

Answer 8

Yes, I believe it is.