Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Fuel shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Fuel offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Fuel at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Fuel? Wrong! If the Fuel is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Fuel then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Fuel? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Fuel and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Fuel wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Fuel then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Fuel site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Fuel, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Fuel, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
Fuel is any material that is burnt or altered in order to obtain energy.{{cite encyclopedia | title = Fuels
| encyclopedia = World Encyclopedia
| url = http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-fuel.html
| publisher = Oxford University Press
| date = 2005
| accessdate = 2007-9-12 --> 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 [Mechanical work.
All carbon-based life forms—from
microorganisms to animals and humans—depend on and use fuels as their source of energy. Their
Cell (biology)s 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. "Metabolism,"
Encyclopaedia Britannica, retrieved August 17, 2006. 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
Electric power.
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 was formed in
supernova explosions.
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.
Biofuels
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.
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 (genus) were present at the site.{{cite news| last=Rincon | first=Paul | date=March 22, 2004
| title=Bones hint at first use of fire | publisher=BBC News
| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3557077.stm
| accessdate=2007-09-11 --> 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 a relatively low energy density of 10–20 [Joule/[Kilogram, which is less than half that of [gasoline.{{cite web
| last=Elert | first=Glenn | year=2007
| url=http://hypertextbook.com/physics/matter/energy-chemical/
| title=Chemical Potential Energy
| publisher=The Physics Hypertextbook
| accessdate=2007-09-11 -->
Recently biofuels have been developed for use in automotive transport (for example
E10 fuel).
Fossil fuels
Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons, primarily coal and petroleum (
liquid petroleum or natural gas), formed from the
fossil of dead plants and animals by exposure to heat and pressure in the
Earth's Crust (geology) over hundreds of millions of years. 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.
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.
Nuclear
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.
Fission
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 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 moderator, or neutron reflecting materials. The most common fissile nuclear fuels are
U-235 and
Pu-239, 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.
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.
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.
World trade
World Bank reported that the USA was the top fuel importer in 2005 followed by the EU and Japan.
Use over time
The first use of fuel was the combustion of wood or sticks by
Homo erectus near 2 million years ago. 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.{{cite web| last=Hall | first=Loretta | year=2007
| url=http://www.madehow.com/Volume-4/Charcoal-Briquette.html
| title=Charcoal Briquette | publisher=How Products Are Made
| accessdate=2007-10-01 -->
Coal was first used as a fuel around 1000 BCE in China. With thedevelopment 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.{{cite web| url=http://www.worldcoal.org/pages/content/index.asp?PageID=107
| title=History of Coal Use | publisher=World Coal Institute
| accessdate=2006-08-10 -->
See also
Footnotes
References
Further reading
- .
- Council Directive 80/1268/EEC Fuel consumption of motor vehicles.
Fuel is any material that is burnt or altered in order to obtain energy.{{cite encyclopedia | title = Fuels
| encyclopedia = World Encyclopedia
| url = http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-fuel.html
| publisher = Oxford University Press
| date = 2005
| accessdate = 2007-9-12 --> 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 [Mechanical work.
All
carbon-based life forms—from
microorganisms to animals and humans—depend on and use fuels as their source of energy. Their Cell (biology)s 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. "Metabolism,"
Encyclopaedia Britannica, retrieved August 17, 2006. 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
Electric power.
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 was formed in
supernova explosions.
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.
Biofuels
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.
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 (genus) were present at the site.{{cite news| last=Rincon | first=Paul | date=March 22, 2004
| title=Bones hint at first use of fire | publisher=BBC News
| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3557077.stm
| accessdate=2007-09-11 --> 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 a relatively low energy density of 10–20 [Joule/[Kilogram, which is less than half that of [gasoline.{{cite web
| last=Elert | first=Glenn | year=2007
| url=http://hypertextbook.com/physics/matter/energy-chemical/
| title=Chemical Potential Energy
| publisher=The Physics Hypertextbook
| accessdate=2007-09-11 -->
Recently biofuels have been developed for use in automotive transport (for example E10 fuel).
Fossil fuels
Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons, primarily coal and
petroleum (liquid petroleum or
natural gas), formed from the
fossil of dead plants and animals by exposure to heat and pressure in the
Earth's Crust (geology) over hundreds of millions of years. 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.
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.
Nuclear
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.
Fission
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 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 moderator, or neutron reflecting materials. The most common fissile nuclear fuels are
U-235 and
Pu-239, 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.
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.
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.
World trade
World Bank reported that the USA was the top fuel importer in 2005 followed by the EU and Japan.
Use over time
The first use of fuel was the combustion of wood or sticks by
Homo erectus near 2 million years ago. 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.{{cite web| last=Hall | first=Loretta | year=2007
| url=http://www.madehow.com/Volume-4/Charcoal-Briquette.html
| title=Charcoal Briquette | publisher=How Products Are Made
| accessdate=2007-10-01 -->
Coal was first used as a fuel around 1000 BCE in
China. With thedevelopment 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.{{cite web| url=http://www.worldcoal.org/pages/content/index.asp?PageID=107
| title=History of Coal Use | publisher=World Coal Institute
| accessdate=2006-08-10 -->
See also
Footnotes
References
Further reading
- .
- Council Directive 80/1268/EEC Fuel consumption of motor vehicles.
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