Coal is and has always been important to American society. Coal is especially important in West Virginia, considering it is a large part of its economy.
One might wander, how is coal formed or made?
Way back in ancient times, when all land was just Pangaea, marshes and swamps took over the area that is currently West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, along with other countries that share the same ecosystems like England and Ireland. Dead plants like ferns, would die and fall into the swamp, and would bury into the marsh, causing the ferns and other plants to smother. Sediment would cover the marsh and dead plant. With no oxygen and time, the smothered plants became "peat," a type of coal. Over time, peat would be compressed by at least 80% of compression, making it coal. It has a very low heat value, and was also used in primarily homes in England and Europe.
No comments:
Post a Comment