Nonrenewable Resource: Natural gas is a fossil fuel composed primarily of methane (CH₄), a compound made of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. It also contains smaller amounts of other hydrocarbon gases like ethane, propane, and butane, as well as non-hydrocarbon gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water vapor. This mixture is formed deep underground under heat and pressure from the remains of ancient organisms over millions of years.   

Transformation: Burning

Nonrenewable Resource: Oil is primarily made of hydrocarbons, complex organic compounds of carbon and hydrogen, but also contains trace amounts of other elements like sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen. This crude oil formed over millions of years from the compressed, heated, and transformed remains of ancient marine plants and animals (like plankton) that were buried under layers of sediment, sand, and rock.   

Transformation: Burning

Nonenewable Resource:  Coal is a combustible, nonrenewable natural resource consisting of carbon-rich sedimentary rock formed from ancient plant matter over millions of years through heat and pressure 

Transformation: Burning

Solar energy works primarily through two methods: Photovoltaics (PV) and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). PV systems use solar panels to convert sunlight directly into DC electricity using photovoltaic cells, which is then converted to AC by an inverter for home or grid use. CSP systems use mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto a receiver, generating heat to produce electricity, often for large power plants.  

Wind energy works by using a wind turbine to convert the wind's kinetic energy into electricity. When wind blows, it turns the turbine's propeller-like blades, which spin a low-speed shaft connected to a gearbox that increases speed to a high-speed shaft. This shaft then turns a generator, producing electricity that travels through cables and a transformer to the electrical grid .

Water energy, or hydropower, works by using the power of moving water to spin a turbine connected to a generator, which then produces electricity. Dams are built to create a reservoir, holding back water, and when released, the water flows through a penstock (pipe) to turn the turbine. This rotational motion spins the generator, converting mechanical energy into electrical energy that can be sent to the power grid.  

Increased use of fossil fuels since the Industrial Revolution.