Christian from 5K shares what he learned about coal during a fifth grade science unit.

1. Coal Written by Christian Schilling Press right arrow key to continue.

2. What is

3. is the ability to do work!

4. Over time different ways of creating energy have been discovered. These ways are a lot more complex it effects the environment a lot. Some of the ways that have been developed over time are Biomass, Wind, Geothermal, and Hydropower. These ways are not only a lot better for the environment but more efficient. Coal covers about 21% of energy consumption. Even though it isn't the smart choice it will still keep our cities running until the next 25+ years.

5. Coal If you turn on your lights you are using electricity. Electricity comes from coal . These are the steps of how coal is converted into electricity. It is dug up from mines and carried in dump trucks. Then the coal is carried to a company which grinds the coal into powder. The powder is mixed with hot air. This step makes the coal burn more efficiently. Then the coal is moved to the furnace. The coal heats water which turns the water into steam. A turbine is spun by the heat energy. Then the turbine spins a copper coil that is on a generator. This creates electricity.

6. Coal is the third most used resource Coal is used 21% of ways to make electricity.

7. Quick Facts Coal is a sedimentary rock. Black Thunder Mine is the largest surface mine. The United States produces about 20%, or 1.1 billion tons, of the world's coal supply—second only to China. Coal generates about half the electricity in the U.S.A The U.S.A has a 245 years worth of coal. Wyoming is the top coal producing state it produced 400 million tons in 2004. The U.S.A has produced 15 billion tons each year for the past 15 years. The value of coal mined in PA in 2005 was $6,270,000,000. The U.S. is the leader in known coal reserves. The U.S. produces 1.1 billion tons that’s a value of $20 billion dollars. Here are where some of the major coal deposits, Illinois, Wyoming, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Colorado, Texas, and Indiana.

8. Dangers of Coal Mining There are many precautions coal miners have. They where a special device that detects poisonous gases that can harm humans. They used canaries to detect gases if the canary died that meant you got to get out of that mine.

9. Bibliography http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/link_to_us.cfm "EIA Energy Kids - Coal." U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis. Web. 31 Jan. 2011. <http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=coal_home-basics>. "Fast Facts about Coal ~ All About Coal ~ American Coal Foundation." American Coal Foundation. Web. 07 Feb. 2011. http://www.teachcoal.org/aboutcoal/articles/fastfacts.html "Fossil Fuel Fast Facts." Green Living Tips. Web. 07 Feb. 2011. <http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/333/1/Fossil-Fuel-Fast-Facts.html>. Books: Gunston, Bill. Coal. London: F. Watts, 1981. Print. Cobb, James C. "Coal." World Book. Print.

10. Coal Video http://science.discovery.com/videos/how-do-they-do-it-coal-mining.html