COAL

By Paris Carmichael, Kristina Mcgee, and Ny Rahim

What is Coal?

Coal is a black or dark brown rock mostly made of plant matter.

Coal is found mainly in underground deposits and commonly used as fuel.

Is it renewable or nonrenewable?

Coal is a nonrenewable energy source. It is a fossil fuel, and we do not have unlimited

amounts of it. Eventually, it will run out.

When and who discovered it?

Coal was used more than 3,000 years ago by the Chinese.

The first recorded discovery of coal was by French explorers by the Illinois River in 1679.

In 1750, Dr. Thomas Walker was the first person to discover and use coal.

How has coal evolved since it was first discovered?

Coal has evolved because it used to be used for power plans, and now power plants are powered by alternative energy fuels.

The use of coal has also increased over the years.

Famous Events

One famous event related to coal was the Coal Strike of 1902, which coal miners protested to increase their pay.

It was resolved after President Theodore Roosevelt intervened.

Where is coal found?

Coal is found almost everywhere around the world.

It is mostly found in North America, the Middle East, and the Former USSR.

How is coal recovered?

Coal is recovered from mining it from the ground using many different tools.

It requires people to work and dig up this energy source.

http://www.brainpop.com/technology/energytechnology/fossilfuels/

Who uses coal and for what purpose?

The people who use coal are mostly companies who use it for electricity.

The purpose of it is for generation, steel production, cement manufacturing, and liquid fuel.

How is coal stored once it is recovered?

Coal is recovered using traditional mining equipment.

They use equipment such as hydraulic shovels and mechanical coal cleaners.

Where is coal stored once it is recovered?

Coal is stored once it is recovered to the Coal Disposal Point.

After this, it is blended into railway wagons for more distributing.

How do we get coal from its stored state?

We get coal from its stored state by taking it to a power plant and burning it into a boiler, so that it changes into steam.

The steam makes the turbine spin, so it produces energy.

What is coal used for today?

It is used to power many industries that uses coal.

Coal is used for steel production, cement manufacturing, electricity generation, and liquid fuel.

Are we using more or less of coal than we did in the past?

We are using much more than we did way back then.

In 1980, we were using 3,752,173 short tons of coal, and in 2011, we used 8,144,308 short tons of coal.

Advantages of Coal

The advantages of coal are- Coal is very cheap compared to different

fossil fuels. Coal can be safely kept. Coal does not require weather to power

it. Coal is a reliable energy source.

Disadvantages of Coal

The disadvantages of Coal are- Pollutes the environment. Causes acid rain. Damages the land. Only a limited amount of coal

Will coal even be part of the future?

Coal will be part of the future, even if there are only a limited amount left.

If we continue to use too much coal, we will run out of it.

Is new technology currently being created?

There is not technology currently being created but there is something that was recently created.

The technology harnesses energy without burning it.

What will coal look like in 30 years?

In 30 years, the amount of coal will decrease , making mining coal more difficult.

It would also increase the cost and demand for coal.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_Strike_of_1902

http://www.millerargent.co.uk/coal-recovery/

http://fossil-fuel.co.uk/coal

http://fossil-fuel.co.uk/coal/advantages-of-coal