Uses of coal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Uses of sear - Research Paper ExampleCoal is a fossil fuel and is the altered remains of prehistoric vegetation that before accumulated in swamps and peat bogs. The force we get from blacken today comes from the cipher that plants absorbed from the sun millions of years ago. All living plants store solar energy through a process known as photosynthesis. When plants die, this energy is usually released as the plants decay. Under conditions favorable to coal formation, the decaying process is interrupted, pr dismantleting the release of the stored solar energy. The energy is locked into the coal. Coal formation began during the Carboniferous Period - known as the first coal age - which spanned 360 million to 290 million years ago. The build-up of silt and other sediments, unitedly with movements in the earths crust - known as tectonic movements - buried swamps and peat bogs, often to great depths. With burial, the plant material was subjected to high temperatures and pressures. T his caused carnal and chemical changes in the vegetation, transforming it into peat and indeed into coal. (World Coal Association) Coalification The quality of each coal deposit is determined by varying types of vegetation from which the coal originated depths of burial temperatures and pressures at those depths length of time the coal has been forming in the deposit The degree of change undergone by a coal as it matures from peat to anthracite is known as coalification. Coalification has an important manner on coals physical and chemical properties and is referred to as the rank of the coal. Ranking is determined by the degree of transformation of the original plant solid to carbon. The ranks of coals, from those with the least carbon to those with the most carbon, are lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous and anthracite. Initially the peat is transformed into lignite or brown coal - these are coal-types with low organic maturity. In contrast to other coals, lignite is quite soft a nd its color groundwork array from dark black to various shades of brown. Over many more millions of years, the continuing effects of temperature and pressure produces further change in the lignite, forward-lookingly increasing its organic maturity and transforming it into the range known as sub-bituminous coals. (World Coal Association) Further chemical and physical changes occur until these coals became harder and blacker, forming the bituminous or hard coals. Under the right conditions, the progressive increase in the organic maturity can continue, finally forming anthracite. (World Coal Association) In addition to carbon, coals contain total heat, oxygen, nitrogen and varying amounts of sulphur. High-rank coals are high in carbon and therefore heat value, but low in hydrogen and oxygen. Low-rank coals are low in carbon but high in hydrogen and oxygen content. Coal is one of the worlds most important sources of energy, fuelling almost 40% of electricity worldwide. In many cou ntries this figure is much higher(prenominal) Poland relies on coal for over 94% of its electricity South Africa for 92% China for 77% and Australia for 76%. Coal has been the worlds fastest growing energy source in recent years faster than gas, oil, nuclear, hydro and renewables (The Coal Resource). Coal has a very long and varied history. Some historians believe that coal was first used commercially in China. There are reports that a mine in northeastern China provided coal for smelting copper and for casting coins approximately 1000 BC. One of the earliest known references to coal was made by the Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle, who referred to a charcoal like rock. Coal cinders found among Roman ruins in England indicate that the Romans used energy from coal before AD 400. Chronicles from the Middle Ages provide the first evidence of coal mining in Europe and even of an international trade as sea coal from exposed coal seams on the English coast was gathered and exp orted to Belgium. (The Coal Resource). Coal has played this epochal role for centuries