Fracking
/ˈfrækɪŋ/
nounverbB2present participle (when verb)
Definition
Fracking means injecting water, sand, and chemicals at high pressure into underground rocks to break them and release oil or natural gas. It is a way to get energy from places where oil or gas is hard to reach. People use fracking to increase energy production, but it can cause problems like water pollution or earthquakes.
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See It in Action
The process of breaking underground rocks to get oil or gas
- •The company used fracking to increase natural gas production.
- •Fracking requires large amounts of water and chemicals.
- •Many people worry about the environmental effects of fracking.
The action of performing this process (verb form)
- •They are fracking a new well in the region.
- •Fracking has become a common method in the energy industry.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "fracking" like "digging" (A1 word), but instead of digging with hands or tools, you break rocks deep underground using strong water pressure.
- ✓Picture a strong water hose pushing water into hard rocks to crack them open, letting gas or oil come out.
- ✓It's the feeling of using power to open something very hard and hidden, like breaking a rock to get treasure inside.
- ✓Sounds like "frack" → imagine a crack (break) in a rock caused by a strong force pushing water in.
- ✓Think of a story where people want energy hidden inside the earth, so they use a special method to open the rocks and get it.
- ✓NOT like "mining" (taking minerals by digging or digging tunnels), fracking breaks rocks underground without big tunnels.
- ✓NOT like "drilling" alone (just making a hole), fracking uses water pressure to crack rocks after drilling.
- ✓NOT like "pumping" water gently; fracking uses very strong pressure to break hard rock layers.
Try Other Words
- •Hydraulic fracturing: the full technical term for fracking (Use in formal or scientific contexts)
- •Oil/gas extraction: general terms for getting oil or gas from the ground (Use when you want a broad meaning)
- •Mining: digging minerals from the earth (Use when talking about solid minerals, not oil or gas)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "frack" (short form from fracture or crack) + "-ing" (shows action or process)
- •Etymology: Derived from "fracturing," meaning breaking, shortened to "frack" in the energy industry
- •Historical development: The term became popular in the late 20th century with new technology to break rocks underground
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe a controversial method of oil and gas extraction involving high-pressure fluid injection
Reflect & Connect
•How does fracking affect the environment, and what are the benefits and risks of using this method?
•Can you think of other ways people get energy from the earth that are less harmful than fracking?
Fill in the blanks
1.Fracking involves injecting water and chemicals at very ___ pressure to break underground rocks.
2.People worry about fracking because it can ___ water sources and cause small earthquakes.
3.Unlike simple drilling, fracking actually ___ the rock underground to release gas or oil.
4.When a company is fracking, they usually have to ___ large amounts of water.
5.Fracking is different from mining because mining involves ___ minerals, not oil or gas.
6.After fracking, the gas or oil can ___ more easily through the cracks in the rock.
7.Fracking has become popular because it helps increase ___ production from difficult places.