Fossil Energy Study Guide:
WHAT IS COAL?
Coal looks like a shiny black rock. Coal has lots of energy in it.
When it is burned, coal makes heat and light energy. Th e cave men
used coal for heating, and later for cooking. Burning coal was easier
because coal burned longer than wood and, therefore, did not
have to be collected as often.
People began using coal in the 1800s to
heat their homes. Trains and ships used coal
for fuel. Factories used coal to make iron
and steel. Today, we burn coal mainly to
make electricity.
COAL IS A FOSSIL FUEL
Coal was formed millions of years ago,
before the dinosaurs. Back then, much of the
earth was covered by huge swamps. Th ey were fi lled with giant ferns and
plants. As the plants died, they sank to the bottom of the swamps.
Over the years, thick layers of plants were covered by dirt and
water. Th ey were packed down by the weight. After a long time, the
heat and pressure changed the plants into coal. Coal is called a fossil
fuel because it was made from plants that were once alive! Since
coal comes from plants, and plants get their energy from the sun, the
energy in coal also came from the sun.
Th e coal we use today took millions of years to form. We can’t make
more in a short time. Th at is why coal is called nonrenewable.
300 million years ago
Before the dinosaurs, many giant
plants died in swamps.
100 million years ago
Over millions of years, the plants were
buried under water and dirt.
Heat and pressure turned the
dead plants into coal.
Dirt
Dead Plants
Rocks and Dirt
Coal
Water
Today
Coal is used primarily in the United States to generate electricity.
In fact, it is burned in power plants to produce more than half of the
electricity we use. A stove uses about half a ton of coal a year. A water
heater uses about two tons of coal a year. And a refrigerator, that’s
another half-ton a year. Even though you may never see coal, you use
several tons of it every year!
Coal is not only our most abundant fossil fuel, it is also the one