The origin of crude oil
4 marks · NormalA table below shows the amount of sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide released by burning different fuels:
| Fuel | Sulfur dioxide released (g) | Carbon dioxide released (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 7 | 115 |
| Diesel | 20 | 124 |
| Natural gas | 0 | 95 |
Which fuel releases the most sulfur dioxide? State your answer.
Which fuel produces no sulfur dioxide? State your answer.
Suggest one environmental problem caused by the fuel that releases the most carbon dioxide.
Explain why environmental authorities may prefer natural gas over diesel.
Work this out on paper, then compare with the answer and worked solution below. With a free account you can submit written answers for marking.
Show answer
(a) Diesel · must show Diesel
(b) Natural gas · must show Natural gas
(c) Global warming or climate change due to CO2 emissions. · must show global warming, climate change
(d) Natural gas releases no sulfur dioxide and less carbon dioxide, so it causes less acid rain and less contribution to global warming compared to diesel. · must show less/no sulfur dioxide, less acid rain, less carbon dioxide, less global warming
Show mark scheme and worked solution
Marking points
B1 (a) · 1 mark · Identifies 'Diesel' as the fuel that releases the most sulfur dioxide.
B2 (b) · 1 mark · Identifies 'Natural gas' as the fuel that releases no sulfur dioxide.
B3 (c) · 1 mark · States 'global warming' or similar for high carbon dioxide.
B4 (d) · 1 mark · Explains authorities prefer natural gas as it causes less acid rain and/or global warming than diesel.
Worked solution
a) Diesel releases 20 g of sulfur dioxide, the most of the fuels listed.
b) Natural gas releases 0 g of sulfur dioxide.
c) The environmental problem is global warming because of high CO2 emissions.
d) Natural gas produces less harmful gases (no SO2 and less CO2), meaning less acid rain and less contribution to climate change.