Coal - Research Article from World of Earth Science

This encyclopedia article consists of approximately 5 pages of information about Coal.

Coal - Research Article from World of Earth Science

This encyclopedia article consists of approximately 5 pages of information about Coal.
This section contains 1,481 words
(approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page)
Buy the Coal Encyclopedia Article

Coal is a naturally occurring combustible material consisting primarily of the element carbon, but with low percentages of solid, liquid, and gaseous hydrocarbons and other materials, such as compounds of nitrogen and sulfur. Coal is usually classified into the sub-groups known as anthracite, bituminous, lignite, and peat. The physical, chemical, and other properties of coal vary considerably from sample to sample.

Coal forms primarily from ancient plant material that accumulated in surface environments where the complete decay of organic matter was prevented. For example, a plant that died in a swampy area would quickly be covered with water, silt, sand, and other sediments. These materials prevented the plant debris from reacting with oxygen and decomposing to carbon dioxide and water, as would occur under normal circumstances. Instead, anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that do not require oxygen to live) attacked the plant debris and converted it to simpler forms: primarily...

(read more)

This section contains 1,481 words
(approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page)
Buy the Coal Encyclopedia Article
Copyrights
Gale
Coal from Gale. ©2005-2006 Thomson Gale, a part of the Thomson Corporation. All rights reserved.