Coal.

Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock composed mostly of carbon and hydrocarbons.
Carbonization --> The chemical and organic process these dead organisms undergo to become coal 
Anthracite --> Coal is ranked very high if it has undergone a longer carbonization period.
Peat --> Coal that has not undergone too much carbonization is ranked low.

How is coal converted into electricity?

1. Coal is milled to a fine powder, allowing it to burn more quickly.

2. The hot gases and heat energy produced converts water in tubes lining the boiler into steam.

3. The high-pressure steam is passed into a turbine containing thousands of propeller-like blades.

4. The shaft rotation engages the wire coils and magnets in a generator connected to it.

5. Electricity is sent to the switchboard (transformer) where it is regulated and sent via on-land cables to homes.

Using coal to produce energy causes many some problems, usually on a greater scale than the use of oil or gas. 

Several forms of coal exist in the world.

Non-Renewable Energies.

Non-renewable energy is energy from fossil fuels (coal, crude oil, natural gas) and uranium. Fossil fuels are mainly made up of Carbon. It is believed that fossil fuels were formed over 300 million years ago, when the earth was a lot different in its landscape. It had swampy forests and very shallow seas. This time is referred to as 'Carboniferous Period'

Fossil fuels are formed....

1. Millions of years ago, dead sea organisms, plants and animals settled on the ocean floor and in the porous rocks.
2. With time, sand, sediments and impermeable rock settled on the organic matter, trapping its' energy within the porous rocks.
3. Earth movements and rock shifts creates spaces that force to collect these energy types into well-defined areas.

• Advantages:
• Unlike many renewable sources of energy, fossil fuels are relatively less expensive to produce.
• Issues:
• Fossil fuels are made up mainly of carbon. When they are burned (used) they produce a lot of carbon compounds (carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases) that hurt the environment in many ways.
• In the pages that follow, we shall take a look at what each source of non-renewable energy is made of, and how they are used.