Book 24, Question 101 · Video
What is peat, and how does it turn into coal?
Peat is dark, spongy material made from partly rotted plants that pile up in wet bogs. Canada has huge peatlands. If peat is buried under layers of sand and mud for millions of years, heat and pressure squeeze out water and turn it into a softer brown coal, then into harder, black coal. Much of the world’s coal formed about 300 million years ago, before dinosaurs lived.
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What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. What is peat, and how does it turn into coal?
The Big Idea
In wet bogs, old plants pile up and do not fully rot. They make a dark, spongy material called peat. Over millions of years, peat can become coal!
Peat
Step one: Peat. Peat is dark, spongy material made from partly rotted plants that pile up in wet bogs. Canada has huge peatlands.
Buried
Step two: Buried. If peat is buried under layers of sand and mud for millions of years, heat and pressure squeeze out the water. It turns into a softer brown coal.
Coal
Step three: Coal. With more time, heat, and pressure, brown coal becomes harder, black coal. Much of the world's coal formed about 300 million years ago, before dinosaurs lived.
A Closer Look
Let's take a closer look! Plants pile up in bogs. They become peat. Peat becomes brown coal. Brown coal becomes black coal.
Quick Facts
Quick facts! Some people dry peat for fuel. Peat bogs store a lot of carbon, so protecting them helps our planet. Much coal is older than the dinosaurs. Sometimes you can see fossil leaf prints in coal.
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! Stack several damp paper towels. Put them in a plastic bag and press them under a heavy book. Wait for a day. How are they like squished plant layers? How might millions of years change them?
Outro
Peat is spongy, partly rotted plant material from wet bogs. Buried for millions of years, heat and pressure squeeze it into brown coal, and then into hard, black coal. Science is amazing! What will you discover next? Every question is a new adventure, so keep wondering and keep exploring with me! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!