1. Coal Notes

2. Before the bell rings… Grab notes sheets off middle
Open the article I sent you on Google Docs, read, and answer all 3 questions in your notes.

3. Take out your notes and answer these questions….in writing!
What is a non-renewable resource?
Give some examples…
What is a renewable resource?

4. What are Resources (2 types)?
Renewable resources –
resources replaced as they used
Ex. Water, plants (trees), air, sun
Nonrenewable Resources –
have a limited supply
Ex. Minerals and Fossil fuels

5. What are Fossil Fuels?
Fossil Fuels – Forms of stored energy that are remains of living things made primarily of carbon and hydrogen through the process of carbonization.
Ex. coal, oil, natural gas

6. What is Carbonization?
Carbonization – The partial decomposition of plants releasing gases which change the chemical composition of the plants leaving only carbon and hydrogen.

7. Watch this video… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ-J91SwP8w
What do you think?
What is the message here?
What do you agree with/disagree with?

8. What is Coal?
Coal- formed from partially decomposed Plant/Animal matter, which is turned into solid brittle rock when it is compressed over a long period of time.

9. Coal Facts You Should Know!
Common: The most abundant fossil fuel
Compressed:5-10 ft of decomposed material makes about 1 ft of coal
Cheap: Less than half the price per million BTU than oil and natural gas.

10. Coal Fast Facts
How much power?- 1 lb. of coal can power watt light bulbs for an hour
How much left?- Should last for about 250 years at the current rate of use
Use decreased during the 40’s and 50’s because oil and gas was easier to use and more available due to WWI and WWII.
Use has been increasing since the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973.

11. Oil Embargo
News Cast

12. More Coal Fast Facts
It is now used mainly for the generation of electricity
In 2012 it was responsible for 20% of the nation’s energy consumption (39% electricity)
Mostly transported by train or barge
China is the major producer and the U.S. is second

13. Take out your notes…
Try to draw a diagram of what a coal powerplant looks like…

14. How Coal Generates Electricity
Coal Factory Animation

15. Problems with Coal

16. In your books (pg 436) describe each of the following…
Peat
Lignite
Subbituminous
Bituminous
Anthracite
Coke (on back of notes sheet)

17. Problems with Coal… Contains sulfur causing air pollution when burned.
Makes acid rain!
High amounts of air pollution (CO2 and SO2) are given off by coal power plants.
Causes more air pollution when burned than any other fossil fuel

22. Coal Mining Underground mining:
dangerous, collapsed mines, fires, gas explosions, and black lung (lungs are coated in coal dust)
Strip Mining - the overlying layer of rock is stripped to get to the coal from the surface.
this is cheaper, safer, and yields 3x’s more coal than underground mining

23. Centrailia and an Explosion
Centralia Video
Mine Explosion Video

24. Problems with Strip Mining
Less than one-half of the mines have been reclaimed…
restored to their natural state
Acid Mine Drainage: (AMD) is when water reacts with mineral in the open mine forming highly acidic water pollution the environment killing aquatic organisms and waterfowl

26. AMD in PA
AMD IN PA

31. Solutions to Coal Use
Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 requires that mined land be restored to its primary use (forest, field, etc.)
Clean Air Act of 1990 forces companies to reduce the emissions (release) of SO2 and NO2 when burning coal
More coal in this country is coming from the mid-west instead of the east because it contains less sulfur
New technologies are being invented to reduce air pollutants from coal (scrubber - sprays the gas with lime or calcium water binding the SO2, causing it to settle out – expensive process to install)
***Using natural gas is cleaner because it releases one-half the CO2 and SO2 of coal

32. Reclamation

33. Synthetic Fuels
Fuels produced by chemically changing fossil fuels like coal. They are cleaner burning
In your books, pg 446, find the notes for…
Liquid Coal
Coal Gas
Oil Shale

34. Fracking