Uses of Coal: Properties & Benefits

Ans. Similar to oil and natural gas, coal is a fossil fuel. This flammable sedimentary rock is either black or brownish-black in color and is typically found in areas known as coal seams or coal beds. Due to its formation taking millions or maybe millions of years, coal is considered a non-renewable energy source.

• It is employed both domestically and in industry.
• Coal has long been a valuable resource. It was mostly used until the invention of the steam engine.
• The best fuel to utilize is coal rock.

Ans. Carbon is produced through the breakdown of dead vegetation to create coal. Dead plants and trees gradually turn into coal because of the earth's high temperature, pressure, and lack of oxygen.

Ans. The uses of coal are as follows:

• Industries - The cement, paper, aluminum, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries are among the industries that use coal.
• Creating Electricity: Thermal power uses coal to generate electricity. High temperatures caused by the burning of the powdered coal cause water to transform into steam. Later, this steam turns into a high-speed turbine under a powerful magnetic field. After all of this, energy is produced.
• Steel Production: Steel is made from coal. After iron ore is converted to iron, manufacturers use coal coke to create steel.
• Gasification and Liquefaction: This process converts coal into a synthetic gas composed of hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

Ans. The relative density for the specific gravity of the coal is determined by the rank of the coal and the degree of mineral impurity. It is crucial to understand the density of each type of coal in order to ascertain the qualities of the blend and the composites. The density of the coal seam is required for the resources to be converted into reserves.

Ans. Thermal electricity production is done using coal. Steam is produced when high temperatures are applied to powdered coal. With the help of this steam and a strong magnetic field, turbines are turned quickly to produce power.

Ans. Characteristics of coal are as follows:

• Coal is a hard substance.
• It is an easily combustible fossil fuel
• Coal is used as a source of energy.
• It involves the major presence of carbon.

Ans. The disadvantages of using coal are as follows:

• The emission of coal will damage the lungs of individuals.
• The burning of rock will produce large amounts of carbon dioxide, which is detrimental to humans. 
• It is the most common cause of global warming and pollution.
• This is a finite source, so it should not be used for day-to-day activities.

Ans. Various ways by which moisture is formed in coal are as follows:

• It is created by surface moisture that is held on the surface of coal.
• Hygroscopic moisture is a form of moisture that is formed in the microfractures of the coal.
• There is another type of moisture named decomposition moisture that is found in the organic matter of the coal.
• Lastly, mineral moisture is used to form the crystal structure of hydrous silicates.

Ans. The steps taken to limit the consumption of coal are as follows:

• Turn off lights and fans when not in use. 
• Instead of using a lift, try to make use of a staircase.
• Use bicycles to travel; for short distances.
• Try increasing the consumption of biogas.
• Solar appliances should be installed in households.

Ans. The different types of coal are as follows:

• Lignite: Lignite is the lowest grade of coal in terms of carbon content. It shows up as various brown tones. It is also referred to as brown coal as a result.
• Sub-bituminous: The color of sub-bituminous coal is either dark brown or grey-black. It can be firm or soft, representing a transitional state between low-quality lignite and high-quality bituminous coal. The age of sub-bituminous coals is roughly 251 million years.
• Bituminous: The color of bituminous is black. Up to 85% of it is made of carbon. It is employed in the production of cement, heating, and power, among other industrial uses.
• Anthracite: called excellent type of coal is called anthracite. At eighty-five percent, it has the greatest percentage of carbon.

Ans.

The total mass of treated coal is obtained by the following process:

• One of the methods is heating coal with toluene.
• Next, the component is dried in minimum-free space over 150℃. 
• The process is carried out within a nitrogen atmosphere.
• Loss of mass is analysed by drying the coal in the air at a temperature of 100℃ to 105℃.