What is Natural Gas?
Natural gas is colorless and odorless in its pure form.
Natural gas is combustible, and when burned it gives off a great
deal of energy. Unlike other fossil fuels, however, natural gas
is clean burning and emits lower levels of potentially harmful
air pollutants. Since we require energy constantly, to heat our
homes, cook our food, and generate our electricity, natural gas
has been elevated to a high level of importance in our society,
and in our lives.
Natural gas is a combustible mixture of hydrocarbon gases.
While natural gas is formed primarily of methane, it can also
include ethane, propane, butane and pentane. The composition
of natural gas can vary widely, but below is a chart outlining
the typical makeup of natural gas before it is refined.
Typical Composition of Natural Gas
||A, He, Ne, Xe
| Reference: Natural Gas.org - http://www.naturalgas.org/overview/background.asp
In its purest form, such as the natural gas that is
delivered to your home, it is almost pure methane. Methane is
a molecule made up of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms,
and is referred to as CH4.
During most of the 19th century, natural gas was used almost
exclusively as a source of light. Without a pipeline infrastructure,
it was difficult to transport the gas very far, or into homes
to be used for heating or cooking. Most of the natural gas produced
in this era was manufactured from coal, as opposed to transported
from a well. Near the end of the 19th century, with the rise
of electricity, natural gas lights were converted to electric
lights. This led producers of natural gas to look for new uses
for their product.
In 1885, Robert Bunsen invented what is now known as the Bunsen
burner. He managed to create a device that mixed natural gas
with air in the right proportions, creating a flame that could
be safely used for cooking and heating. The invention of the
Bunsen burner opened up new opportunities for the use of natural
gas in America, and throughout the world. The invention of temperature-regulating
thermostatic devices allowed for better use of the heating potential
of natural gas, allowing the temperature of the flame to be adjusted