A dark, hard mineral made from ancient plants that burned millions of years ago, used as fuel to create heat and electricity.
From Old English 'col' and Proto-Germanic 'kulaz,' related to Old Norse 'koli.' The word may connect to an ancient root meaning 'to burn' or 'to glow.' The substance itself formed during the Carboniferous period when plant material was buried and compressed underground for millions of years.
Coal contains captured sunlight from plants that died 300 million years ago—when you burn it, you're literally releasing ancient energy! This is why coal is called a 'fossil fuel,' and understanding coal's formation was crucial for geologists to develop the concept of deep time and Earth's age.
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