Coal

Coal is a black rock that comes from the ground. It is made mostly of carbon. Coal burns very well and gives off lots of heat. People have used it for hundreds of years to warm homes and power machines. Today, many power plants still burn coal to make electricity.

How Coal Formed

Coal formed from plants that lived a very long time ago. When the plants died, they fell into swamps. Layers of mud and rock covered them. Over millions of years, heat and pressure turned the plants into coal. This is why coal is called a fossil fuel.

Using Coal Today

Miners dig coal out of the ground. Some mines are deep underground, and others are on the surface. The coal is burned in power plants to make steam, which spins machines to make electricity. But burning coal also makes smoke that is bad for the air. Many countries are using less coal now.

Fun Facts

• Coal is mostly made of the element carbon.
• Diamonds and coal are both made of carbon, but diamonds form under much higher pressure.
• Some coal is over 300 million years old.

Did You Know?

During the 1800s, coal powered trains and ships that helped people travel faster than ever before.