CHEMISTRY COMMUNITY

What are the effects of fossil fuels on the environment in terms of the laws of thermodynamics?

As I discussed in class burning/combustion is exothermic which is why wood, coal, natural gas, diesel, etc., are used as energy sources. Also discussed in class, when burning hydrocarbons the same products are produced, H₂O and CO₂. Also discussed was CO₂ reacting with H₂O to produce carbonic acid, H₂CO₃, which leads to acid rain. This happens normally with wild fires, but if there is an excess of fossil fuel burning then there is an excess of CO₂.

Note: Electric cars, bikes, etc., are charged by electricity that is produced in power plants that burn gas and coal. EVs are not zero emissions.

Although electric vehicles are not entirely zero emission, they ultimately convert over much more of the energy from fossil fuels power at the wheels. Conventional gasoline vehicles only convert a small fraction of the energy stored in gasoline to power at the wheels