All About Coal | Science Specials Week S01 E04

Coal

Coal Facts

Coal which is a fossil fuel was highly prized energy sources for centuries.

By 500 BC, the Greeks had made solar homes to take better advantage of the sun's heat and light.

The first mining for coal started at China in 200 BC.

Electricity was first produced using coal at 1880.

Now how is coal formed?

Peat is the first step in the formation of coal.

Now what is peat?

Peat is a dark fibrous material created when decomposition fails to keep pace with the production of organic matter. It is the first stage of making plant material into coal.

Peat formation

Peat formation only takes place in:

• Water Logging
• Lack of Nutrients
• High Acidity
• Lack of Oxygen (O)
• Low temperature

Now let's continue the formation of coal 

Coalification is the process of the formation of coal. Under extreme heat and pressure the plant material slowly turns into coal.

Types of Coal

There are 4 basic types of coal:

• Lignite
• Sub-Bituminous
• Bituminous
• Anthracite

Lignite is soft, brownish black and least energy is released. It has the largest portion of the world's coal reserve is made up of Lignite.

Sub-Bituminous is dull black, give little more energy than Lignite coal when it is burned.

Bituminous is also known as "Soft Coal" and gives more energy than Sub-Bituminous.

Anthracite is the hardest kind of Coal and releases large amount of heat when it burns. 

What happens to the Coal?

The Coal under goes heating in the absence of air which is called Destructive Distillation. In this process we get the products of Coal like Coke (Purest form of Carbon), Ammoniacal Liquor, Coal Tar and Coal Gas.

Thank you!

I hope you learned some new things about Coal!

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