Final answer:
Oil and gas rise into oil traps due to their lower density compared to water, making them buoyant and allowing them to float above water and accumulate in geological formations. Natural gas also rises above oil deposits due to its even lower density.
Step-by-step explanation:
Oil and gas rise into oil traps because hydrocarbons are less dense than water, making them relatively buoyant. This buoyancy allows them to float above water. Crude oil, being primarily a mixture of hydrocarbons, does not dissolve in water and thus moves to the top when submerged. This characteristic is also crucial for how oil and gas accumulate in geological formations known as oil traps.
Moreover, when talking about natural gas, its low density compared to other fuels such as coal or petroleum is significant. This feature accounts for its tendency to rise above oil deposits in underground reservoirs, and why it flows out freely once a well is drilled, due to being under great pressure and not viscous.
The migration process of oil and gas from their formation to the traps where they accumulate is driven by the differences in density between hydrocarbons and water in the surrounding environment.