The Staple of the Industrial Revolution

Lignite Coal: also known as brown coal, is a sedimentary rock and consists of about percent carbon Bituminous Coal: also known as soft coal and is the most abundant type of coal. It is also a sedimentary rock but contains percent of carbon Anthracite Coal: metamorphic rock that is also known as hard coal and has percent carbon

What are the three types of coal that we mentioned? Lignite, Bituminous, and Anthracite What type of coal is also known as brown coal? Lignite

Most coal formation began when swamps covered much of the land. Trees, mosses, ferns and other plants died and fell to the bottom of the swamps. Then the dead material is decomposed and releases several gases. The gases are water vapor, methane, and carbon dioxide. A result of this process is a heavy dark brown material that consists of percent carbon, known as, Peat. Peat is then buried beneath the layers of sediment The sediment compacts the peat, thus forming a new material called, Lignite which later may transform into other various type of coal, this process takes thousands to millions of years and has been forming for 450 million years

How long has coal been forming on Earth? 450 million years When did most coal formation begin? When swamps covered the land What is the heavy dark brown material that results from the decomposition? Peat

China is the largest producer of coal on Earth The United States is divided up into three coal producing regions: the Appalachian Coal Region, the Western Coal Region, and the Interior Coal Region Coal can be mined using either underground mining or surface mining (see next slide for a diagram) China, United States, New Zealand/Australia, and India are the world’s largest suppliers of coal

Coal and Electricity

Mining coal releases dust and gas into the atmosphere, increasing global warming Whenever it is burned, gases are given off and particles of ash, called "fly ash," are released. The sulfur in coal combines with oxygen to form sulfur dioxide, which can be a major source of air pollution if emitted in large enough quantities. Today, many of the effects of coal burning have been reduced significantly or eliminated. The burning of coal by large-scale factories has led to acid rain in some regions

Coal is one of the most abundant sources of energy, more so than oil and natural gas Coal is inexpensive when compared to other fossil fuels (or alternative energy sources) Coal is versatile enough to be used for recreational activities such as BBQ’s or simply for home fires Burning coal can produce useful by-products that can be used for other industries or products Electricity produced from coal is reliable Coal can be safely stored and can be drawn upon to create energy in time of emergency Coal based power is not dependent on weather which cannot be said for alternative forms of renewable energy such as wind or solar power

Burning coal releases harmful waste such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfuric acids, arsenic and ash. Coal mining can scar the landscape and the equipment used for mining is large and noisy which may affect local wildlife Transporting coal can be problematic because it requires an extensive transportation system and can also cause additional pollution in the form of emissions from transportation vehicles such as lorries, etc The mining industry can cause health difficulties for miners and fatalities due to the potentially dangerous nature of the work Burning dirty coal can create significant pollution problems

Name two environmental concerns that coal production faces. It releases dust, gas, fly ash, and can cause acid rain Name two advantages to coal. Inexpensive, abundant, versatile, energy is reliable, useful by-products, safely stored, and independent Name two disadvantages to coal. Harmful wastes, scars landscape, problematic when transported, health difficulties, and pollution