Coal is one of the Earth's most sought after natural resources. Used for fuel and energy uses, coal has been mined worldwide for centuries. Teacher can use this carbon-based rock in various school projects. From clean fuel technology to learning the history of this fossil fuel, coal is a valuable resource to be be highlighted in science class.
Coal Categorized
Discuss the difference between rocks and minerals, including the metamorphic rock, coal. Teach student how coal is formed, the different types of coal and where to find coal. Students will pass a piece of anthracite coal around the room and without the teacher identifying the rock, ask them to guess if it's mineral or a rock, and what type. Explain the types of coal and how they are formed. A blackboard drawing will highlight the four types of coal: bituminous, lignite, anthracite and peat. Have students play a trivia contest to name the eight highest-producing coal countries and the 37 states which produce coal.
Hunting for Fossil Fuel
Create a rock pile by placing rocks on a tarp. Or, find a rock bed as part of a field trip. Among the non-descript rocks, include some rocks with coal deposits. Give students four empty plastic cups and have them search for rocks that may have coal deposits in four 30-second sessions. Have the students count the rocks, record their findings and deposit them in a numbered cup. After the fourth search, have students count the cups of rocks and make a bar graph to show the number of rocks found with coal deposits on them. The graph may determine there are more rocks found deeper below the surface with coal deposits than surface rocks.
Basic Project
Have students identify the four types of coal based on how the rock has been affected by pressure and heat. The amount of carbon in a piece of coal determines the amount of energy that can be created from it. Have students display their findings as a poster with graphs and coal photos. The display can be the main point of the students' project.
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Static Electricity
Coal pollution can be captured using static electricity. When coal burns at a power plant, the pollution, called soot, is produced. Static electricity draws the soot before it goes into the atmosphere. The school project will require a mixture of sugar, salt and pepper, with the pepper representing the soot. Students use a small plate, piece of wool and plastic comb. Have students take the comb and brush the wool to give it an electric charge. Students will place the sugar, pepper and salt separately on the plate. The comb should be moved closer to the particles to draw them off the plate. Students record their findings and determine if the pepper, representing the soot, could be attracted to the comb using static electricity and creating cleaner air.
Tags: coal deposits, Have students, types coal, their findings, with coal deposits, four types