Nurturing Essentials: The Vital Role of Natural Resources in Our Lives

Materials used for basic needs come from nature or are made by human efforts. Air, water, soil, and minerals like Coal and Petroleum are such natural resources. 

Classification of Natural resources: Exhaustible and Inexhaustible

• Inexhaustible Natural Resources: These are unlimited in nature, and not to be exhausted by human activities. 
  • Examples: Include sunlight, air, etc.
• Exhaustible Natural Resources: These are limited in nature and can be exhausted by human activities. 
  • Example: Forests, wildlife, minerals, coal, petroleum, natural gas,  etc.

Fossil Fuels: Consumption of the Limited Reserves of Coal, Petroleum, and Natural Gas

• Containers filled with eatables represent exhaustible natural resources.
• Different generations consume these resources differently.
• Some generations may leave resources for future generations.
• The concept underscores the limited availability of certain resources.
• Exhaustible natural resources like coal, petroleum, and natural gas are formed from dead remains of living organisms and are termed fossil fuels.

From Formation to Flame: The Characteristics, Uses, and Diverse Products of Coal

• Characteristics: Coal is hard, stone-like, black in colour. 
• Uses: Used for cooking, in railway engines, in thermal power plants, and various industries. 
• Formation:
  • About 300 million years ago, the earth had dense forests in low-lying wetland areas. 
    • Forests got buried under the soil due to natural processes.
  • Carbonisation: Over time, with increased pressure and temperature, dead plants are converted to coal. 
    • This process of conversion is called carbonization.
  • Since it was formed from vegetation remains, coal is a fossil fuel.

• Combustion of Coal: When coal is heated in air, it produces mainly carbon dioxide gas.
• Products from Coal:
  • Coke: It is a tough, porous, black substance, considered an almost pure form of carbon. 
    • It is used in steel manufacture and metal extraction.
• Coal Tar: It is a black, thick liquid with an unpleasant smell. 
  • • It comprises a mixture of around 200 substances.
    • Coal tar is used for synthetic dyes, drugs, explosives, perfumes, plastics, paints, photographic materials, and roofing materials.
    • Naphthalene balls, which repel moths and other insects, are derived from coal tar.
    • Bitumen: It is a petroleum product, and is now used for road metalling instead of coal tar.
  • Coal Gas: Coal gas is obtained during coke processing. It is used as a fuel in industries near coal processing plants. 
    • Historically it was used for street lighting, now more for heating.

Petroleum and Natural Gas: the ‘Black Gold’ Beneath Earth’s Surface and Its Role as Essential Natural Resources

• Petroleum: 

 It is one of the most important natural resources

• • The term “petroleum” originates from “petra” (rock) and “oleum” (oil), highlighting its extraction from beneath the Earth’s rocks. 
  • Light automobiles such as motorcycles, scooters, and cars use petrol as fuel. 
  • Heavy motor vehicles like trucks and tractors are powered by diesel.

• Formation:
  • Petroleum originates from organisms that once lived in the sea. 
  • Over millions of years, these dead organisms transformed into petroleum and natural resources(gas) due to high temperature, high pressure, and absence of air.
  • Since oil and gas are lighter than water, their layer is situated above water.
• Discovery and Location: The world’s first oil well was drilled in Pennsylvania, USA, in 1859.
  • In India, oil was first discovered in Assam (Makum) in 1867. 
  • Other locations include Gujarat, Mumbai High, and the river basins of Godavari and Krishna.
• Refining: Petroleum, characterised by its dark and oily appearance, possesses an unpleasant odour. 
  • It comprises various constituents including petroleum gas, petrol, diesel, lubricating oil, and paraffin wax. 
  • Refining involves the process of separating these constituents. 
• Products and Petrochemicals: The substances derived from petroleum and natural gas are termed as ‘Petrochemicals’.
  • They are instrumental in producing detergents, fibers such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic, as well as polythene and plastics.
  • Hydrogen gas, sourced from natural gas, is pivotal in the production of fertilisers like urea.
  • Black Gold: Due to its significant commercial value, petroleum is often dubbed ‘black gold’.

Exploring the Versatile Constituents of Petroleum and Natural Gas for Diverse Applications

• Natural Gas:
  • Natural gas stands as an essential fossil fuel, mainly because of the ease with which it can be transported through pipes. 
  • It is stored under high pressure to form compressed natural gas (CNG), which is utilised for power generation.
  • It’s preferred as a fuel for transport vehicles due to its less polluting nature, marking it as a cleaner fuel.
• Direct Usage: Natural gas can be directly burned in homes and factories.
  • A network of pipelines facilitates its supply in locations like Vadodara (Gujarat) and certain parts of Delhi.
• Applications: Natural resources like gas also serve as a foundational material for producing several chemicals and fertilisers.
• Indian Reserves: Natural gas reserves in India are abundant, with significant deposits in Tripura, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and the Krishna Godavari delta.

Limited Natural Resources: Exploring the Challenges of through Conservation and Sustainable Practices

• Exhaustible: As established earlier, some natural resources like fossil fuels, forests, and minerals are exhaustible. 
  • While it took millions of years for dead organisms to transform into fuels like coal and petroleum, the known reserves might only last a few more centuries.
• Pollution: The combustion of these fuels is a primary contributor to air pollution and is associated with global warming.
• Judicious Use: It’s imperative to use these resources judiciously to ensure a healthier environment, mitigate the risks of global warming, and prolong their availability.
• In India, the Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) offers conservation suggestions such as:
  • Maintaining a consistent speed while driving, 
  • Turning off the engine during prolonged stops, 
  • Ensuring correct tyre pressure, and 
  • Undertaking regular vehicle maintenance.