Will farmers grow fossil fuels?

Will farmers grow fossil fuels?

Unit 8

Q1. What is fossil fuel? Give the causes for its preservation?

Q2. Why Calvin warns humans? Give suitable reasons to support it.

Answer.

Introduction

“Will farmers grow fossil fuel” by Charles Pefit is an article about the making of fossil fuel from plants. Scientist Melvin Calvin discusses the new way of making fossil fuel through Latex of Euphorbia plants. He is searching the best out of Euphorbia plants to make crude oil.

Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuel formed in the geological past from the remains of living organisms. It is formed after the process of hundreds or millions of years. After passing these years, remains of plants turn into coal and petroleum.  Now a day’s people are using fossil fuels excessively. We have used all the savings of fossil fuels. Now we have to make it again to avoid shortage in future.

Scientist: Melvin Calvin

The American Chemist Melvin Calvin discovered new way of making Crude oil from Euphorbia plants. He spoke of the possibility of producing crude oil from Euphorbia in 1976, at a meeting of the American chemical society. He has also received Noble prize in 1961 for his research on Photosynthesis. It is the process by which plants can convert sunlight into energy. Now he is trying to make synthetic substance that may be duplicate the process of Photosynthesis.

His recent discovery is greatest achievement for him. He has discovered a plant that might be produce crude oil more cheaply than any other oil well.

Research on different plants

Calvin is researching on different plants to find out the best which can be use for making crude oil. One is a thin little “Gopher Bush” plant from California; another is young plant from Ethiopia. Both of these members of family plants called “Euphorbia”. Rubber tree is also related to Euphorbia.

These trees produce thick white liquid called “Latex”. This is similar in many ways with Crude oil. It contains 30 to 40percent of Hydrocarbon.

Euphorbia plant

There are 3000 members of Euphorbia plants. Calvin has started searching all its members wherever he is going. He used to give bottles to his foreigner friends to collect Latex from plants so that he can get sample from everywhere.

Calvin has also started planting those plants on his land. Tests will be carried out on the Latex to see if they can be turned into living oil fields.

Difference between the latex of Euphorbia and Rubber tree

Latex found in Euphorbia is much similar to the latex of rubber tree. It is belonging to the Hevea family. The difference between both these plants is about the molecular weight. The molecules of Euphorbia are much smaller, lighter and less complex than the molecules of rubber tree. That’s why it makes it easier to produce oil from Euphorbia by the process of refining.

Trees	Molecular weight
Rubber tree	500,000 to 2,000,000
Euphorbia	20,000

Rubber Plant

There is similar process for the cultivation of rubber plant as like Euphorbia. It also grows wilder in the jungle of South America. Brazil held a monopoly in the production of rubber. But in 1873, a few seeds of the Hevea (rubber tree) were carried out to London. From there it was taken to Malaysia. At that time the production of natural rubber was less. Scientist in Europe and Africa are producing synthetic rubber which is very much cheap as compared to natural rubber.  Countries which are producing natural rubber are not able to compete with this synthetic rubber. That’s why they have decided to use intensive cultivation method to increase the production.

Harvesting process of Euphorbia

Harvesting of Euphorbia will not be done simply. It may be necessary to ‘harvest’ the leaves and branches of Euphorbia and cut them into small pieces, in order to collect the latex. Areas with greatest sunshine may be best for Euphorbia because latex carries stored solar energy.

Conclusion

In this way the discovery of making crude oil from latex became a greatest invention in science history. Still it required a lot of work. Scientist who are experimenting in this new and fast developing field believe that this production will help to lower down the rising cost of fuels. Therefore, we can transform useless plants into valuable crops.