Oil Formation
1. The process that forms oil requires a lot of time. How long ago did the oil we extract today start forming?
The oil we extracted today started forming 200 million years ago.
2. What was the earth like at this time?
There was more life in the sea when the earth was like this at this time.
3. We call it oil now, but what was that slimy black stuff before it became oil?
The slimy black stuff was phytoplankton.
4. The video lists several processes or conditions required to change your answer to question 3 into oil. I can think of 5 - can you get them all?
5. Besides oil, what other fossil fuel can be formed by this process with only one minor variation?
The fossil fuel is natural gas. It can be created by the same process as oil, but it must heat up at 120-150 degrees Celcius.
The oil we extracted today started forming 200 million years ago.
2. What was the earth like at this time?
There was more life in the sea when the earth was like this at this time.
3. We call it oil now, but what was that slimy black stuff before it became oil?
The slimy black stuff was phytoplankton.
4. The video lists several processes or conditions required to change your answer to question 3 into oil. I can think of 5 - can you get them all?
- The phytoplankton need to die and sink to the sea floor.
- They mix with other sediments and no decomposition/air tight pocket.
5. Besides oil, what other fossil fuel can be formed by this process with only one minor variation?
The fossil fuel is natural gas. It can be created by the same process as oil, but it must heat up at 120-150 degrees Celcius.
Oil Formation Lab
Materials: Lettuce, measuring cups, baggies, refrigerator, markers, thermometer
Goal: Replicate some (but not all) aspects of oil and natural gas formation.
Goal: Replicate some (but not all) aspects of oil and natural gas formation.
Pre-Lab Questions
1. What are some conditions required for there to be oil or natural gas production in the earth?
2. Approximately how long does it take oil to form?
Oil needs 200 million years to form.
2. Approximately how long does it take oil to form?
Oil needs 200 million years to form.
Procedure
1. Measure two cups of lightly crushed iceberg lettuce.
2. Place one cup of lettuce in a ziplock bag and label the bag "warm". Place the other cup of lettuce in a ziplock bag labeled "cold".
3. Distribute the lettuce along the bottom of each bag and roll the bags from the bottom to remove much air as possible. Seal the bag.
4. Unroll and observe each bag and now each day day for the next two weeks. Se the "observations" lab sheet.
5. Place the labeled "cold" in a refrigerator.
6. Note the temperature of the refrigerator and room.
2. Place one cup of lettuce in a ziplock bag and label the bag "warm". Place the other cup of lettuce in a ziplock bag labeled "cold".
3. Distribute the lettuce along the bottom of each bag and roll the bags from the bottom to remove much air as possible. Seal the bag.
4. Unroll and observe each bag and now each day day for the next two weeks. Se the "observations" lab sheet.
5. Place the labeled "cold" in a refrigerator.
6. Note the temperature of the refrigerator and room.
Over the span of 2 weeks, we observed our cold and warm lettuce bag, and wrote down qualitative and quantitative observations. We also measured the bags by rolling them up and using a tape measure.
Day 1 Observations
Warm Bag Observations
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Cold Bag Observations
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Day 7 Observations
Warm Bag
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Cold Bag
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Day 10 Observations
Warm Bag
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Cold Bag
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Day 12 Observations
Warm Bag
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Cold Bag
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Conclusion
Throughout the two weeks we kept these bags in different environments, this showed changes, one bag drastic and the other not so drastic. The warm bag turned from green to brown-green, whereas the cold bag went from green to redish-green. Due to the different environments, the bags changed because of it.