When you hear the word petroleum, most of us think about the gasoline that powers our cars, trucks, vans and other vehicles. However, petroleum is used for many things other than fuel including plastics and pharmaceuticals. Because petroleum is such an important part of our daily lives, it is wise to learn a little bit about this substance.
While we typically mine or drill for petroleum, it actually does seep up from beneath the surface of the ground and has for hundreds of thousands of years. The word petroleum has existed for thousands of years, as well, and is a mix of the Greek words for oil and rock. Before we had cars, petroleum was used as a source of light and even had medicinal uses and possibly was used to create a weapon that was called Greek Fire.
Petroleum is called a hydrocarbon, which is a name that is given to any organic compound that contains only hydrogen and carbon. These carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms combine in different weights to produce the various gases, liquids and solids that you find in petroleum. For example, one of the gases in petroleum is propane, which is a source of fuel for many people around the world. While petroleum is a type of fossil fuel, it is not the fossils of dinosaurs that have created petroleum but rather the fossils of ancient algae and other types of single cell plants and organisms.
Of course, petroleum is used to make a wide variety of fuel, including the gasoline used to power the millions of vehicles with internal combustion engines. Other types of fuel that we get from processing petroleum include jet fuel, diesel fuel, butane and kerosene. Petroleum also is used to make motor oil and oils that are used to lubricate machine parts. Asphalt is another substance derived from petroleum and people have been using asphalt for thousands of years.
Plastic is another important product that is often produced using petrochemicals, or rather chemicals that are taken from petroleum. Many thermoplastics are made out of petrochemicals. Many products are made out of thermoplastics, including a huge variety of retail product packaging such as food packaging, electronic packaging and medical packaging. A thermoforming company designs many types of customized packaging for its clients by heating up large, thin sheets of plastic and molding them into whatever shape is needed by a client.
If you've ever heard of PVC, then you already know about one type of thermoplastic that is created from petrochemicals. As we all know, many pipes are produced using PVC, but other items such as flooring and signs also are made using PVC. If you have ever had a cup of coffee in a Styrofoam cup, then you are familiar with another type of plastic produced from petrochemicals. Styrofoam is actually a brand name for a type of plastic that is actually called polystyrene.
While we typically mine or drill for petroleum, it actually does seep up from beneath the surface of the ground and has for hundreds of thousands of years. The word petroleum has existed for thousands of years, as well, and is a mix of the Greek words for oil and rock. Before we had cars, petroleum was used as a source of light and even had medicinal uses and possibly was used to create a weapon that was called Greek Fire.
Petroleum is called a hydrocarbon, which is a name that is given to any organic compound that contains only hydrogen and carbon. These carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms combine in different weights to produce the various gases, liquids and solids that you find in petroleum. For example, one of the gases in petroleum is propane, which is a source of fuel for many people around the world. While petroleum is a type of fossil fuel, it is not the fossils of dinosaurs that have created petroleum but rather the fossils of ancient algae and other types of single cell plants and organisms.
Of course, petroleum is used to make a wide variety of fuel, including the gasoline used to power the millions of vehicles with internal combustion engines. Other types of fuel that we get from processing petroleum include jet fuel, diesel fuel, butane and kerosene. Petroleum also is used to make motor oil and oils that are used to lubricate machine parts. Asphalt is another substance derived from petroleum and people have been using asphalt for thousands of years.
Plastic is another important product that is often produced using petrochemicals, or rather chemicals that are taken from petroleum. Many thermoplastics are made out of petrochemicals. Many products are made out of thermoplastics, including a huge variety of retail product packaging such as food packaging, electronic packaging and medical packaging. A thermoforming company designs many types of customized packaging for its clients by heating up large, thin sheets of plastic and molding them into whatever shape is needed by a client.
If you've ever heard of PVC, then you already know about one type of thermoplastic that is created from petrochemicals. As we all know, many pipes are produced using PVC, but other items such as flooring and signs also are made using PVC. If you have ever had a cup of coffee in a Styrofoam cup, then you are familiar with another type of plastic produced from petrochemicals. Styrofoam is actually a brand name for a type of plastic that is actually called polystyrene.
About the Author:
Lenna Stockwell loves writing about how stuff is made. For further details about plastic thermoforming solutions or to find out more about thermoform molding, please go to the Indepak website now.
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