Coal and Petroleum – CBSE NCERT Study Resources

Coal is a fossil fuel formed from the remains of ancient plants buried under Earth's crust over millions of years.

We studied that under high pressure and heat, dead plants slowly turned into peat, then lignite, and finally bituminous coal and anthracite.

Our textbook shows coal is used in thermal power plants to generate electricity. It is also used in industries like steel production.

Petroleum is refined in oil refineries through fractional distillation to separate useful components.

We learned that crude oil is heated, and vapors rise in a fractionating column, condensing at different temperatures.

• Petrol for vehicles
• LPG for cooking
• Kerosene for lamps

They take millions of years to form and cannot be replenished quickly.

Our textbook shows that excessive use depletes these resources faster than natural formation.

• Using public transport to reduce petrol consumption
• Switching to solar energy instead of coal

Coke is a cleaner fuel obtained by heating coal in the absence of air.

We studied that it has higher carbon content and fewer impurities than coal.

It is used in steel manufacturing and as a reducing agent in metallurgy.

Burning coal and petroleum releases greenhouse gases causing air pollution and global warming.

Our textbook shows that sulfur dioxide from fuels leads to acid rain.

Solar energy is a cleaner alternative, as it doesn't produce harmful emissions.

Petroleum is a fossil fuel extracted from underground and refined to produce useful products.

We learned that petroleum is separated in refineries through fractional distillation, where different components boil at varying temperatures.

Common petroleum products include petrol (for vehicles), LPG (cooking gas), and paraffin wax (candles). NCERT mentions kerosene as another example.

Non-renewable resources like coal and petroleum take millions of years to form and cannot be replenished quickly.

Our textbook explains that excessive use depletes these resources faster than natural formation.

We can conserve them by using public transport (reduces petrol) and switching to solar energy (replaces coal). NCERT highlights carpooling as an effective method.

Both are types of coal but differ in carbon content and applications.

• Coking coal: High carbon, used in steel production (NCERT example).
• Bituminous coal: Moderate carbon, used in thermal power plants.

For instance, coking coal is essential in blast furnaces, while bituminous coal generates electricity in India.

Burning fossil fuels releases harmful gases, causing air pollution and global warming.

We studied that coal combustion emits sulfur dioxide (acid rain) and petroleum releases carbon dioxide (greenhouse effect).

NCERT mentions Delhi's air pollution due to vehicular emissions. Switching to CNG (cleaner fuel) is one solution.

Coal is a fossil fuel formed from the remains of ancient plants buried under Earth's crust over millions of years.

Under high pressure and heat, dead plants turned into peat, then lignite, and finally bituminous coal. Our textbook shows this process as carbonization.

We use coal for electricity generation (like in thermal power plants) and making steel. At home, it was once used for cooking (e.g., coal stoves).

These are by-products of coal processing.

Coal tar is used in NCERT’s example of road construction, while coke is vital for industries.

Burning fossil fuels releases harmful gases like carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide.

Our textbook shows these gases cause global warming (CO₂) and acid rain (SO₂).

• Delhi’s air pollution due to vehicle emissions (petroleum)
• Melting glaciers from coal-powered industries

Coal is a fossil fuel formed from the remains of ancient plants that lived millions of years ago in swampy forests. The formation process involves the following steps:

• Step 1: Dead plants accumulated in swamps and were buried under layers of soil and water.
• Step 2: Over time, heat and pressure from the Earth's crust caused the plant material to undergo carbonization, where it slowly turned into peat.
• Step 3: Further compression and heat transformed peat into lignite, a soft brown coal.
• Step 4: With more pressure and heat, lignite turned into bituminous coal, a harder and blacker form.
• Step 5: The highest grade, anthracite, forms under extreme conditions and has the highest carbon content.

Coal is classified based on carbon content as follows:

• Peat: Lowest carbon content (less than 60%)
• Lignite: 60-70% carbon
• Bituminous: 70-86% carbon
• Anthracite: 86-98% carbon (highest quality)

Petroleum refining is the process of separating crude oil into useful components through fractional distillation. The steps involved are:

• Step 1: Crude oil is heated in a furnace to convert it into vapor.
• Step 2: The vapor enters a fractionating column, where it cools at different heights.
• Step 3: Different hydrocarbons condense at varying temperatures, separating into fractions.

Four important products obtained from petroleum refining are:

• LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas): Used as fuel for cooking.
• Petrol: Fuel for vehicles.
• Diesel: Used in heavy vehicles and generators.
• Kerosene: Fuel for lamps and jet engines.

Coal and petroleum are non-renewable because they take millions of years to form and cannot be replenished quickly. Their reserves are limited, and excessive usage depletes them faster than natural processes can restore them.

Two ways to conserve these resources are:

• Using alternative energy sources: Solar, wind, and hydropower can reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
• Improving efficiency: Using energy-efficient appliances and vehicles minimizes wastage.

Burning coal and petroleum has severe environmental consequences:

• Air pollution: Releases harmful gases like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, causing acid rain.
• Global warming: Carbon dioxide emissions trap heat, increasing Earth's temperature.
• Health hazards: Smoke and particulate matter cause respiratory diseases.

These impacts can be minimized by:

• Using cleaner technologies: Installing scrubbers in factories to reduce emissions.
• Promoting renewable energy: Shifting to solar or wind power reduces fossil fuel dependency.

Coal is formed from the remains of ancient plants and trees that lived millions of years ago in swampy forests. Over time, these plants got buried under layers of soil and rock due to natural processes like sedimentation. Under high pressure and temperature, the plant material underwent carbonization, gradually transforming into coal.

The stages of coal formation are:

• Peat: Partially decomposed plant matter.
• Lignite: Soft brown coal with low carbon content.
• Bituminous: Denser, black coal used widely.
• Anthracite: Hardest form with the highest carbon content.

Coal is called a fossil fuel because it is derived from the fossilized remains of plants that lived millions of years ago. It is a non-renewable resource as it takes extremely long periods to form.

(Diagram: A labeled cross-section showing layers of peat, lignite, bituminous, and anthracite coal formation beneath the Earth's surface.)

Destructive distillation of coal is the process of heating coal in the absence of air to break it down into useful components. This is done in a closed apparatus to prevent combustion.

The main products obtained are:

• Coal Gas: Used as a fuel in industries.
• Coal Tar: A thick black liquid used in making dyes, drugs, and synthetic fibers.
• Coke: A porous, high-carbon residue used in steel production.
• Ammonia Liquor: Used in fertilizers.

This process helps reduce environmental pollution because:

• It extracts valuable chemicals from coal instead of burning it directly, reducing harmful emissions.
• Coke burns cleaner than raw coal, producing less smoke and pollutants.
• Coal gas is a more efficient and cleaner-burning fuel compared to raw coal.

Thus, destructive distillation maximizes the utility of coal while minimizing its environmental impact.

Coal is formed from the remains of ancient plants and trees that lived millions of years ago in swampy forests. Over time, these plants died and got buried under layers of soil and water. Due to high pressure and heat from the Earth's crust, the organic matter slowly transformed into coal through a process called carbonization.

Coal is called a fossil fuel because it is derived from the fossilized remains of plants that lived millions of years ago. The term 'fossil' refers to the preserved remains of ancient organisms, and 'fuel' indicates its use as an energy source.

In today's world, coal is significant because:

• It is a major source of energy for electricity generation in thermal power plants.
• It is used in industries for steel production and as a raw material in manufacturing.
• Despite being a non-renewable resource, it remains a primary fuel in many countries due to its abundance.

However, excessive use of coal leads to environmental issues like air pollution and global warming due to the release of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases.

Petroleum refining is the process of separating crude oil into its useful components through a method called fractional distillation. In this process, crude oil is heated in a furnace, and the vapors are passed into a fractionating column. Different hydrocarbons condense at different heights based on their boiling points, allowing separation.

Four important products obtained from petroleum refining are:

• Petrol (Gasoline) - Used as fuel in cars and motorcycles.
• Diesel - Used in heavy vehicles like trucks and buses.
• Kerosene - Used as fuel for lamps and stoves in rural areas.
• LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) - Used as a cooking fuel in households.

Two products and their uses in daily life:

1. Petrol: It is primarily used as fuel in automobiles due to its high energy output. It powers engines efficiently, making transportation faster and more convenient.

2. LPG: It is widely used in homes for cooking because it burns cleanly without producing smoke. It is stored in cylinders and is a safer alternative to traditional fuels like wood or coal.

Petroleum products play a crucial role in modern life, but their overuse contributes to environmental pollution and resource depletion.

Coal is formed from the remains of ancient plants and trees that lived millions of years ago in swampy forests. Over time, these plants got buried under layers of soil and rock due to natural processes like sedimentation. Under high pressure and heat, the plant material underwent carbonization, gradually transforming into coal.

The different types of coal based on carbon content are:

• Peat: Lowest carbon content (less than 60%). It is the first stage of coal formation and is used as a domestic fuel in some regions.
• Lignite: Contains 60-70% carbon. It is brown in color and used mainly in thermal power plants.
• Bituminous: Contains 70-86% carbon. It is the most commonly used coal for industrial purposes like steel production and electricity generation.
• Anthracite: Highest carbon content (86-98%). It is the hardest and cleanest burning coal, used for heating and metallurgical processes.

Coal is a non-renewable resource, and its excessive use leads to environmental pollution, making it important to use alternatives like solar and wind energy.

Petroleum is extracted from deep underground or beneath the ocean floor through drilling. It is found trapped between layers of rocks in reservoirs. Once extracted, crude petroleum is transported to refineries, where it undergoes fractional distillation to separate it into useful components based on their boiling points.

The refining process involves heating crude oil in a furnace, and the vapors are passed into a fractionating column. As the vapors rise, they cool and condense at different heights, separating into fractions like LPG, petrol, diesel, and kerosene.

Four important petroleum products and their uses are:

• LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas): Used as a fuel for cooking and heating.
• Petrol: Used as fuel for cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles.
• Diesel: Used in heavy vehicles like trucks, buses, and generators.
• Kerosene: Used as fuel for lamps, stoves, and jet engines.

Petroleum is a fossil fuel, and its overuse contributes to air pollution and global warming. Hence, sustainable alternatives like biofuels and electric vehicles are being promoted.