What Are Fossil Fuels?
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Long ago, people burned wood to stay warm. Today, we still sometimes burn wood, but we also use other fuels. We burn oil, natural gas, and coal. These are called fossil fuels. They are made from long-dead plants and animals. We burn these fuels to make heat and electricity. The gasoline that powers our cars, buses, trains, and airplanes is made from oil. In the United States, most of our energy comes from fossil fuels.
However, fossil fuels take millions of years to form. These fuels are nonrenewable. That means that once we use them, they are gone forever.