Question

Why are coal and petroleum considered to be important source of energy?

Answer 1

Thanks for the question.

Fossil fuels, like coal and petroleum are non renewable natural resources. They have an organic origin and are called hydrocarbon fuels. Coal was formed in nature as a solid from the remains of the trees buried deep inside the earth.Petroleum also occurs deep inside the earth's crust, as a liquid, and is formed by the bacterial decomposition of marine plant and animal matter .

The use of coal and petroleum and their products are of great importance in the world economy. Coal is an important fuel source as its energy is converted into other forms such as electricity, steam and coal gas. Thermal power stations runs on coal. Coal is used for many industrial applications such as fuel for iron and steel foundries, metal extraction plants and steam based turbines.

Coal tar, a black liquid, produces a mixture of carbon compounds which are used to prepare drugs, dyes, paints, explosives, plastics etc. It is a source of aromatic hydrocarbon compounds like benzene, toluene, aniline, phenol, naphthalene, anthracene etc.

Petroleum is often referred to as liquid gold, due to its importance as a fuel in transportation (Petrol, Diesel, kerosene, gas oil, fuel oil) and as a source of over hundred and fifty important petrochemicals used in industrial and consumer applications.

Hope it helps.