Coal - National Geographic Society
WEBOct 19, 2023 · noun. Coal is a nonrenewable fossil fuel that is combusted and used to generate electricity. Mining techniques and combustion are both dangerous to miners and hazardous to the environment; however, coal accounts for about half of the electricity generation in the United States.
Coal - Wikipedia
WEBCoal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Coal | Uses, Types, Pollution, & Facts | Britannica
WEBApr 16, 2024 · coal, one of the most important primary fossil fuels, a solid carbon -rich material that is usually brown or black and most often occurs in stratified sedimentary deposits. coal deposits. Location of the most-important coal occurrences on Earth. Coal is defined as having more than 50 percent by weight (or 70 percent by volume) …
What is coal? | U.S. Geological Survey - USGS.gov
WEBWhat is coal? Coal is a sedimentary deposit composed predominantly of carbon that is readily combustible. Coal is black or brownish-black, and has a composition that (including inherent moisture) consists of more than 50 percent by weight and more than 70 percent by volume of carbonaceous material.
Coal explained - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
WEBCoal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock with a high amount of carbon and hydrocarbons. Coal is classified as a nonrenewable energy source because it takes millions of years to form. Coal contains the energy stored by plants that lived hundreds of millions of years ago in swampy forests.
Coal: Anthracite, Bituminous, Coke, Pictures, Formation, Uses
WEBCoal is an organic sedimentary rock that forms from the accumulation and preservation of plant materials, usually in a swamp environment. Coal is a combustible rock and, along with oil and natural gas, it is one of the three most important fossil fuels. Coal has a wide range of uses; the most important use is for the generation of electricity.
Coal | Properties, Formation, Occurrence and Uses - Geology Science
WEBAug 15, 2023 · Coal is a non-clastic sedimentary rock. They are the fossilized remains of plants and are in flammable black and brownish-black tones. Its main element is carbon, but it can also contain different elements such as hydrogen, sulfur and oxygen. Unlike coal minerals, it does not have a fixed chemical composition and crystal structure.
Coal and the environment - U.S. Energy Information …
WEBApr 17, 2024 · Coal is an abundant fuel source that is relatively inexpensive to produce and convert to useful energy. However, producing and using coal affects the environment. Effects of coal mining. Surface mines (sometimes called strip mines) were the source of about 63% of the coal mined in the United States in 2022.
coal summary | Britannica
WEBcoal, Solid, usually black but sometimes brown, carbon-rich material that occurs in stratified sedimentary deposits. One of the most important fossil fuel s, it is found in many parts of the world. Coal is formed by heat and pressure over millions of years on vegetation deposited in ancient shallow swamps ( see peat ).
Coal - Carbon, Organic Matter, Sedimentary Rock | Britannica
WEBCoal - Carbon, Organic Matter, Sedimentary Rock: The plant material from which coal is derived is composed of a complex mixture of organic compounds, including cellulose, lignin, fats, waxes, and tannins. As peat formation and coalification proceed, these compounds, which have more or less open structures, are broken down, and new compounds ...
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