Fuel is burned or reacted with oxygen in a combustion process, releasing heat energy. This heat energy is used to generate steam in power plants, which turns turbines to produce electricity. In vehicles, the combustion process produces heat that is converted into mechanical energy to power the vehicle.
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Fossil fuels represent chemical energy, a form of potential energy. This energy was stored in the hydrocarbon molecules and can be released by oxidation (burning).
The main energy transformation that occurs when diesel fuel is used by engines at the quarry is chemical energy being converted into mechanical energy. The combustion of diesel fuel in the engine's cylinders releases energy in the form of heat, which is then converted into mechanical work to power the machines and trucks.
Fuel needs to be combusted or burned in the presence of oxygen to release the energy stored in it. This chemical reaction results in the production of heat, which can be converted into other forms of energy, such as mechanical energy in a car engine or electrical energy in a power plant.
When a rocket is launched, chemical energy from the fuel is converted into thermal energy through combustion, which then creates pressure that propels the rocket upwards through thrust. As the rocket ascends, this kinetic energy is converted into potential energy as it gains altitude.
Fuel is a form of potential energy stored in chemical bonds. When the fuel is burned, its chemical potential energy is converted into thermal energy and then into kinetic energy to power an engine or device.