Download Fossil Fuels ~ Plants and animals have trapped light energy from the

Fossil Fuels ~ Plants and animals have
trapped light energy from the sun in them when
they die. As they decompose underground the
energy becomes compressed into coal, oil or natural
gas.
Coal
• State of Matter ~ Solid
• What are the uses ~ used to create electricity 51% in
PA. Also used to make coke which was a popular fuel
for trains, coal is also used to make some products
like medicines, perfumes and paint thinners
• How is it used ~ typically it is burned for fuel, and
heated to make products
• Watch this video for an over view
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeXG8K5_UvU
Coal Burning Power Plant
Coal
• How is it obtained ~ Coal must
be mined. It is found deep
within the earth, and has to be
dug out, several different types
of mining
• Where it is found ~ USA, Russia,
and China, in that order
• Amount of air pollution ~ Coal is
the dirtiest of all fossil fuels, even
“clean coal” causes more pollution
than oil. Although scientist are
working on this all the time
How it is formed
Coal Formation Coal forms from the
remains of plants that lived in
swamps hundreds of millions of
years ago. Much of the coal in the
eastern United States formed
about 320 million to 300 million
years ago, when vast areas of
swampland covered the eastern
United States. As ocean levels rose
and fell, these swamps were
repeatedly covered with sediment.
Layers of sediment compressed the
plant remains, and heat and
pressure within the Earth’s crust
caused coal to form. Coal deposits
in the western Unite States also
formed from ancient swamps, but
those deposits are much younger.
The abundant coal deposits in
states such as Wyoming formed
between 100 million and 40 million
years ago.
Here is a link about how coal is
formed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=MBeXRRTGjNE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=TZS2Klye00A
http://www.teachertube.com/view
Video.php?title=How_was_coal_for
med_&video_id=40991
Coal Mine
Coal Mine
Coal
• Environmental Impacts ~ burning coal puts
particulates, and mercury in the air, along
with CO2, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide
(causes acid rain)
• Mining for coal ruins the surface of the land,
and causes area soil and water to become
acidic from acid mine drainage.
Coal
Coal Miners Lung
Abandoned Coal Mine
Healthy Lung
The orange color is the result of mine
drainage
Acid Mine Drainage