Coal is a fuel source used to make electricity and heat through burning. It’s considered a carbon-based fossil fuel. Fossil fuels are fuels formed through natural processes. Coal is a sedimentary rock made from the remains of plants buried in the earth, from about 100 to 400 million years ago. Let’s explore how people use coal.
Long ago, North American Indians used coal to bake their clay pottery. By the 1800’s, coal was used to power train engines and steamships, heat homes, and to manufacture goods. Soon it was also used to make steel and iron, as well as electricity. Today, coal provides the United States with about 55 percent of our electricity, and produces one-quarter of the total energy in the U.S.
There are four main types of coal
Long ago, North American Indians used coal to bake their clay pottery. By the 1800’s, coal was used to power train engines and steamships, heat homes, and to manufacture goods. Soon it was also used to make steel and iron, as well as electricity. Today, coal provides the United States with about 55 percent of our electricity, and produces one-quarter of the total energy in the U.S.
There are four main types of coal