Wood was one of the first fuels used by humans and is still the primary energy source in much of the world.^{[citation needed]}

Fuel is any material that is burnt or altered in order to obtain energy.^[1] Fuel releases its energy either through chemical means, such as combustion, or nuclear means, such as nuclear fission or nuclear fusion. An important property of a useful fuel is that its energy can be stored to be released only when needed, and that the release is controlled in such a way that the energy can be harnessed to produce work. Look up fuel in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article is about the chemical reaction combustion. ... For the generation of electrical power by fission, see Nuclear power plant. ... The deuterium-tritium (D-T) fusion reaction is considered the most promising for producing sustainable fusion power. ... In physics, mechanical work is the amount of energy transferred by a force. ...

All carbon-based life forms—from microorganisms to animals and humans—depend on and use fuels as their source of energy. Their cells engage in an enzyme-mediated chemical process called metabolism that converts energy from food or solar power into a form that can be used to sustain life. ^[2] Additionally, humans employ a variety of techniques to convert one form of energy into another, producing usable energy for purposes that go far beyond the energy needs of a human body. The application of energy released from fuels ranges from heat to cooking and from powering weapons to combustion and generation of electricity. Carbon forms the backbone of biology for all life on Earth. ... A cluster of Escherichia coli bacteria magnified 10,000 times. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... This article is about modern humans. ... Drawing of the structure of cork as it appeared under the microscope to Robert Hooke from Micrographia which is the origin of the word cell being used to describe the smallest unit of a living organism Cells in culture, stained for keratin (red) and DNA (green) The cell is the... Ribbon diagram of the enzyme TIM, surrounded by the space-filling model of the protein. ... Structure of the coenzyme adenosine triphosphate, a central intermediate in energy metabolism. ... Physical Features of the Human Body The human body is the entire physical structure of a human organism. ... For other uses, see Heat (disambiguation) In physics, heat, symbolized by Q, is energy transferred from one body or system to another due to a difference in temperature. ... Cooking is the act of preparing food. ... For other uses, see Weapon (disambiguation). ... This article is about the chemical reaction combustion. ... For delivered electrical power, see Electrical power industry. ...

Energy sources

All currently-known fuels ultimately derive their energy from a small number of sources. Much of the chemical energy produced by life forms, such as fossil fuels, is derived from the utilization of solar energy through photosynthesis. Solar energy in turn is generated by the thermonuclear fusion process at the core of the Sun. The radioactive isotopes used as fuel to power nuclear plants were formed in supernova explosions. Fossil fuels or mineral fuels are fossil source fuels, that is, hydrocarbons found within the top layer of the earth’s crust. ... Photosynthesis splits water to liberate O2 and fixes CO2 into sugar The leaf is the primary site of photosynthesis in plants. ... In physics, nuclear fusion (a thermonuclear reaction) is a process in which two nuclei join, forming a larger nucleus and releasing energy. ... Sol redirects here. ... Radioactive decay is the set of various processes by which unstable atomic nuclei (nuclides) emit subatomic particles. ... For other uses, see Isotope (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Supernova (disambiguation). ...

Chemical

Chemical fuels are substances that generate energy by reacting with substances around them, most notably by the process of oxidization. These substances were the first fuels to be known and used by humans and are still the primary type of fuel used today. This article is about modern humans. ...

Biofuels

Main article: Biofuel

Biofuel can be broadly defined as solid, liquid, or gas fuel consisting of, or derived from biomass. Biomass can also be used directly for heating or power—known as biomass fuel. Biofuel can be produced from any carbon source that can be replenished rapidly e.g. plants. Many different plants and plant-derived materials are used for biofuel manufacture. For articles on specific fuels used in vehicles, see Biogas, Bioethanol, Biobutanol, Biodiesel, and Straight vegetable oil. ... For articles on specific fuels used in vehicles, see Biogas, Bioethanol, Biobutanol, Biodiesel, and Straight vegetable oil. ... For the use of the term in ecology, see Biomass (ecology). ...

Perhaps the earliest fuel that was employed by humans is wood. Evidence shows controlled fire was used up to 1.5 million years ago at Swartkrans, South Africa. It is unknown which hominid species first used fire, as both Australopithecus and an early species of Homo were present at the sites.^[3] As a fuel, wood has remained in use up until the present day, although it has been superseded for many purposes by other sources. Wood has an energy density of 10–20 MJ/kg. ^[4] For other uses, see Wood (disambiguation). ... Swartkrans is a location in South Africa, around 20 miles from Johannesburg. ... For the song by Modest Mouse, see Sad Sappy Sucker. ... Species Homo sapiens See text for extinct species. ... The joule (IPA: or ) (symbol: J) is the SI unit of energy. ... Kg redirects here. ...

Recently biofuels have been developed for use in automotive transport (for example E10 fuel). Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) and methanol (methyl alcohol) are two types of alcohol fuels. ...

Fossil fuels

Main article: Fossil fuel

Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons, primarily coal and petroleum (liquid petroleum or natural gas), formed from the fossilized remains of dead plants and animals^[5] by exposure to heat and pressure in the Earth's crust over hundreds of millions of years^[6]. In common parlance, the term fossil fuel also includes hydrocarbon-containing natural resources that are not derived entirely from biological sources, such as tar sands. These latter sources are properly known as mineral fuels. Fossil fuels or mineral fuels are fossil source fuels, that is, hydrocarbons found within the top layer of the earth’s crust. ... Look up Hydrocarbon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Coal Example chemical structure of coal Coal is a fossil fuel formed in ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... Petro redirects here. ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Lubbock, Texas Ignacy Łukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil. ... For other uses, see Natural gas (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Fossil (disambiguation). ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ... World geologic provinces (USGS) Oceanic crust  0-20 Ma  20-65 Ma  >65 Ma Geologic province  Shield  Platform  Orogen  Basin  Large igneous province  Extended crust In geology, a crust is the outermost solid shell of a planet or moon. ... Look up Hydrocarbon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Athabasca Oil Sands Tar sands is a common name of what are more properly called bituminous sands, but also commonly referred to as oil sands or (in Venezuela) extra-heavy oil. ...

Modern large-scale industrial development is based on fossil fuel use, which has largely supplanted water-driven mills, as well as the combustion of wood or peat for heat. With global modernization in the 20th and 21st centuries, the growth in energy production from fossil fuels, especially gasoline derived from oil, is one of the causes of major regional and global conflicts and environmental issues. A global movement toward the generation of renewable energy is therefore under way to help meet the increased global energy needs. For other uses, see Wood (disambiguation). ... Peat in Lewis, Scotland Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. ... Look up gasoline in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Renewable energy effectively utilizes natural resources such as sunlight, wind, tides and geothermal heat, which are naturally replenished. ...

The burning of fossil fuels by humans is the largest source of emissions of carbon dioxide, which is one of the greenhouse gases that enhances radiative forcing and contributes to global warming. The atmospheric concentration of CO₂, a greenhouse gas, is increasing, raising concerns that solar heat will be trapped and the average surface temperature of the Earth will rise in response. Carbon dioxide (chemical formula: ) is a chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom. ... Top: Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels as measured in the atmosphere and ice cores. ... The generalised concept of radiative forcing in climate science is any change in the radiation (heat) entering the climate system or changes in radiatively active gases. ... Global warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the Earths near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation. ... Instrumental global surface temperature measurements; see also [http://www. ...

Nuclear

Main article: Nuclear fuel

Nuclear fuel is any material that is consumed to derive nuclear energy. Technically speaking this definition includes all matter because any element will under the right conditions release nuclear energy, the only materials that are commonly referred to as nuclear fuels though are those that will produce energy without being placed under extreme duress. Nuclear Fuel Process A graph comparing nucleon number against binding energy Nuclear fuel is any material that can be consumed to derive nuclear energy, by analogy to chemical fuel that is burned to derive energy. ... This article concerns the energy stored in the nuclei of atoms; for the use of nuclear fission as a power source, see Nuclear power. ...

Fission

Nuclear fuel pellets are used to create nuclear energy.

The most common type of nuclear fuel used by humans is heavy fissile elements that can be made to undergo nuclear fission chain reactions in a nuclear fission reactor; nuclear fuel can refer to the material or to physical objects (for example fuel bundles composed of fuel rods) composed of the fuel material, perhaps mixed with structural, neutron moderating, or neutron reflecting materials. The most common fissile nuclear fuels are ²³⁵U and ²³⁹Pu, and the actions of mining, refining, purifying, using, and ultimately disposing of these elements together make up the nuclear fuel cycle, which is important for its relevance to nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons. Image File history File links Nuclear fuel pellets and a fuel rod. ... Image File history File links Nuclear fuel pellets and a fuel rod. ... This article or section should include material from Fissile material In nuclear engineering, a fissile material is one that is capable of sustaining a chain reaction of nuclear fission. ... For the generation of electrical power by fission, see Nuclear power plant. ... A chain reaction is a sequence of reactions where a reactive product or by-product causes additional reactions. ... Core of a small nuclear reactor used for research. ... Nuclear power station at Leibstadt, Switzerland. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... Uranium-235 is an isotope of uranium that differs from the elements other common isotope, uranium-238, by its ability to cause a rapidly expanding fission chain reaction. ... General Name, Symbol, Number plutonium, Pu, 94 Chemical series actinides Group, Period, Block ?, 7, f Appearance silvery white Atomic mass (244) g/mol Electron configuration [Rn] 5f6 7s2 Electrons per shell 2, 8, 18, 32, 24, 8, 2 Physical properties Phase solid Density (near r. ... The nuclear fuel cycle, also called nuclear fuel chain, is the progression of nuclear fuel through a series of differing stages. ... This article is about applications of nuclear fission reactors as power sources. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 kilometers (11 mi) above the hypocenter A nuclear weapon derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions of fusion or fission. ...

Fusion

Fuels that produce energy by the process of nuclear fusion are currently not utilized by man but are the main source of fuel for stars, the most powerful energy sources in nature. Fusion fuels tend to be light elements such as hydrogen which will combine easily. The deuterium-tritium (D-T) fusion reaction is considered the most promising for producing sustainable fusion power. ... This article is about the chemistry of hydrogen. ...

In stars that undergo nuclear fusion, fuel consists of atomic nuclei that can release energy by the absorption of a proton or neutron. In most stars the fuel is provided by hydrogen, which can combine together to form helium through the proton-proton chain reaction or by the CNO cycle. When the hydrogen fuel is exhausted, nuclear fusion can continue with progressively heavier elements, although the net energy released is lower because of the smaller difference in nuclear binding energy. Once iron-56 or nickel-56 nuclei are produced, no further energy can be obtained by nuclear fusion as these have the highest nuclear binding energies.^[7] This article is about the astronomical object. ... The deuterium-tritium (D-T) fusion reaction is considered the most promising for producing sustainable fusion power. ... The nucleus (atomic nucleus) is the center of an atom. ... For other uses, see Proton (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the chemistry of hydrogen. ... General Name, symbol, number helium, He, 2 Chemical series noble gases Group, period, block 18, 1, s Appearance colorless Standard atomic weight 4. ... Overveiw of the proton-proton chain. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

World trade

Fuel imports in 2005

World Bank reported that the USA was the top fuel importer in 2005 followed by the EU and Japan.^{[citation needed]}
Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 351 pixelsFull resolution (1425 × 625 pixel, file size: 60 KB, MIME type: image/png)This bubble map shows the global distribution of fuel imports in 2005 as a percentage of the top trader (USA - $294,499,160,000). ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 351 pixelsFull resolution (1425 × 625 pixel, file size: 60 KB, MIME type: image/png)This bubble map shows the global distribution of fuel imports in 2005 as a percentage of the top trader (USA - $294,499,160,000). ... The World Bank logo The World Bank (the Bank) is a part of the World Bank Group (WBG), is a bank that makes loans to developing countries for development programs with the stated goal of reducing poverty. ...

Use over time

The first use of fuel was the combustion of wood or sticks by Homo erectus near 2 million years ago.^{[8][page # needed]} Throughout the majority of human history fuels derived from plants or animal fat were the only ones available for human use. Charcoal, a wood derivative, has been used since at least 6,000 BCE for smelting metals. It was only supplanted by coke, derived from coal, as the forests started to became depleted around the 18th century. Charcoal briquettes are now commonly used as a fuel for barbecue cooking.^[9] Binomial name (Dubois, 1892) Synonyms † Pithecanthropus erectus † Sinanthropus pekinensis † Javanthropus soloensis † Meganthropus paleojavanicus Homo erectus (Latin: upright man) is an extinct species of the genus Homo. ... Charcoal is the blackish residue consisting of impure carbon obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. ... Coke may refer to: Coca-Cola, a soft drink originally based on coca leaf extract The Coca-Cola Company Cola, any soft drink similar to Coca-Cola Coke (fuel), a solid carbonaceous residue derived from destructive distillation of coal Petroleum coke, a solid carbon rich residue derived from distillation of... A barbecue on a trailer at a block party in Kansas City. ...

Coal was first used as a fuel around 1000 BCE in China. With the development of the steam engine in 1769, coal came into more common use as a power source. Coal was later used to drive ships and locomotives. By the 19th century, gas extracted from coal was being used for street lighting in London. In the 20th century, the primary use of coal is for the generation of electricity, providing 40% of the world's electrical power supply in 2005.^[10] // The term steam engine may also refer to an entire railroad steam locomotive. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Electricity (from New Latin Ä“lectricus, amberlike) is a general term for a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. ...

See also

Energy Portal

• List of energy topics

• Alcohol fuel
• Ammonia
• Alternative fuels
• Battery
• Biomass
• Biofuel
• Combustion
• Energy density
• Fuel cell
• Fossil fuel
• Fuel oil
• Fuel poverty
• Hydrocarbon
• Hydrogen fuel
• Liquid fuels
• Methane
• Oxidation
• Propellant
• Solid fuel
• World energy resources and consumption

Image File history File links Crystal_128_energy. ... Energy portal This is a list of energy topics which identifies articles and categories that relate to energy in general. ... Gasoline on the left, alcohol on the right at a filling station in Brazil Rising energy prices and global warming have led to increased interest in alternative fuels. ... For other uses, see Ammonia (disambiguation). ... Alternative fuel refers to methods of powering an engine that do not involve petroleum (oil). ... For other uses, see Battery. ... For the use of the term in ecology, see Biomass (ecology). ... For articles on specific fuels used in vehicles, see Biogas, Bioethanol, Biobutanol, Biodiesel, and Straight vegetable oil. ... This article is about the chemical reaction combustion. ... Energy density is the amount of energy stored in a given system or region of space per unit volume, or per unit mass, depending on the context. ... A fuel cell is an electrochemical device similar to a battery, but differing from the latter in that it is designed for continuous replenishment of the reactants consumed; i. ... Fossil fuels or mineral fuels are fossil source fuels, that is, hydrocarbons found within the top layer of the earth’s crust. ... An oil tanker taking on bunker fuel. ... A fuel poor household is one which cannot afford to keep adequately warm at reasonable cost. ... Look up Hydrocarbon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A hydrogen economy is a hypothetical economy in which the energy needed for motive power (for automobiles or other vehicle types) or electricity (for stationary applications) is derived from reacting hydrogen (H2) with oxygen. ... Liquid fuels are those combustible or energy-generating molecules that can be harnessed to create mechanical energy, usually producing kinetic energy; they also must take the shape of their container. ... Methane is a chemical compound with the molecular formula . ... The most fundamental reactions in chemistry are the redox processes. ... A propellant is a material that is used to move an object by applying a motive force. ... Solid fuel is a term given to various types of solid material that provide energy. ... World power usage in terawatts (TW), 1965-2005. ...

Footnotes

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Richard Erskine Frere Leakey (born 19 December 1944 in Nairobi, Kenya), is a Kenyan paleontologist and conservationist. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• Ratcliff, Brian et al. (2000). Chemistry 1. Cambridge University press. ISBN 0-521-78778-5. 

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Fuels

• DIRECTIVE 1999/94/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 13 December 1999, relating to the availability of consumer information on fuel economy and CO2 emissions in respect of the marketing of new passenger carsPDF (140 KiB).
• Council Directive 80/1268/EEC Fuel consumption of motor vehicles.