Final answer:
Hydrocarbon raw materials are primarily derived from the organic matter of dead plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, leading to the formation of fossil fuels, which include oil, coal, and natural gas, and which are now used as a primary source of energy through combustion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The organic matter, or hydrocarbon raw material, is derived primarily from the remains of dead plants, algae, and cyanobacteria that over millions of years have been buried, heated, and compressed under high pressure. These processes result in the formation of fossil fuels like oil, coal, and natural gas.
Petroleum and fossil gas are produced from the breakdown of microscopic plants and animals that once lived in the oceans. Unlike coal, liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons often migrate far from their place of origin and become concentrated in reservoirs. Over hundreds of millions of years, these deposits of fossil hydrocarbons have formed and are now being consumed at a much faster rate than their natural rate of formation.
The simplest organic compounds, hydrocarbons, which are composed of carbon and hydrogen, can be classified as aliphatic or aromatic; with aliphatics being further divided into alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes. Combustion of these compounds is a significant source of energy, releasing heat as they are oxidized.