Which of the following statements provides evidence of how petroleum has influenced human activity?

The availability of petroleum changed the way people heat their homes.

The availability of petroleum changed the way people store and package food.

The availability of petroleum changed the way people construct buildings.

The availability of petroleum changed the way people fueled steam engines.

The correct option is D) The availability of petroleum changed the way people fueled steam engines.

Explanation:

Before using petroleum as a fuel, steam was the only option to be used as a fuel. Although steam engines used a cheap source i. e coal for power but it had many drawbacks. Some of the drawbacks were:

Only about 5 percent of potential energy of steam could be made useful for driving the wheels. The transport had to be stopped again and again for cal re-fill. Their maintenance was costly.

In contrast, the use of petroleum engines was more reliable because:

Petroleum transports were more fuel - efficient. Frequent stops were not required. They could run faster and work longer. Their maintenance is not as costly as the steam engines.