Chapter 19. Chapter 19: Coal
What is coal, how is it formed...?
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).
Test Your Vocabulary
Fill in the blank with the correct term for each of the following definitions:
The flow of electrons (negatively charged subatomic particles) through a conductive material (such as wire) is called .
The measure of the net energy from an energy source (the energy in the source minus the energy required to get it, process it, ship it, and then use it) is known as .
1.
How are dead organisms transformed into coal?
5.
Using the map above, which of the following does NOT have coal deposits?
| A. |
| B. |
| C. |
| D. |
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