What is coal, how is it formed...?
Interactive Study Guide
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Guiding Question 19.2
What is coal, how is it formed, and what regions of the world contain coal deposits that are accessible?
Why You Should Care
Coal is the pressed remains of ancient swamp forests, which long ago died and were covered before they could decompose. Instead, these fallen trees and vegetation were slowly crushed and became denser and blacker. This pressure over time has created a uniformly black rock that we call coal.
These ancient forests once covered large areas of tropical and sub-tropical latitudes, but with the drifting of tectonic plates, coal is now found worldwide. Over time, layer upon layer of these forests were buried deeply by more trees, mud, and soil. Today, we dig coal from only those rock layers near to the surface (within the top few thousand feet).
Question
Test Your Vocabulary
Fill in the blank with the correct term for each of the following definitions:
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19.1
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Dead organisms fall into water and are pressed down, so they are unable to decompose. Over millions of years, they are covered over and compacted into coal.
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19.2
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19.3
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19.4
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If decomposition were fast, then the organic matter would have less energy and coal would not form. Only when decomposition is slow can the energy in the organic matter be converted in coal.
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19.5
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19.6
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19.7
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19.8
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19.9
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It is not likely that coal would become a strategic resource based on usage since there are other ways to manufacture electricity that are becoming cost effective (natural gas, solar, wind, etc.). From its distribution, coal is also more widespread and should be more accessible for countries that need it.
