Final answer:
Petroleum and natural gas, formed from ancient organic material, are collectively referred to as hydrocarbons and are vital fossil fuels processed for energy consumption.
Step-by-step explanation:
Petroleum and natural gas are primarily made up of hydrocarbons, which are compounds consisting of carbon and hydrogen atoms. These energy-rich substances are considered fossil fuels, as they were formed from the remains of ancient microscopic plants and animals that settled in the oceans millions of years ago. Through geological processes involving immense pressure and heat over hundreds of millions of years, this organic material transformed into the crude oil and gas deposits we extract today.
Natural gas, being lighter, mainly consists of methane and ethane and is typically found in a gaseous state at the surface. On the other hand, petroleum or crude oil is a thicker liquid containing thousands of different hydrocarbons, and it is further processed to produce fuels such as gasoline, diesel, and heating oil. These fossil fuels undergo various refinery processes, such as distillation and cracking, to refine them into usable forms of energy, thereby serving as the backbone of modern energy consumption.