Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons, primarily
coal and petroleum (fuel oil or natural gas), formed from
the fossilized remains of dead plants and animals by exposure
to heat and pressure in the Earth's crust over hundreds
of millions of years. The theory that hydrocarbons were
formed from these remains was first introduced by Mikhail
Lomonosov in 1757. 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[citation needed]. These latter
sources are properly known as mineral fuels.
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.
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. A small portion of hydrocarbon-based fuels are
biofuels derived from atmospheric carbon dioxide, and
thus do not increase the net amount of carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere.
