Coal looks like a black or brownish coloured rock. In coal, the carbon content ranges between 70% to 90%. Coal is a very important fossil fuel that is used to generate electricity. In most of the rural areas in India, you can see that coal is used as a domestic fuel to cook foods. The smoke that comes out from coal is very harmful for our health.

Petroleum is a fossil fuel of yellowish-black colour that is found mostly in geological formations underneath the surface of the earth. When geologists first extract it from the earth in the natural form, it is known as crude oil. This crude oil is refined and used as different kinds of fuels as petrol. The thickness and consistency of petrol are almost similar to water.

The coal formation process is called carbonization, and the total period of doing this coal formation process is called the carboniferous age. Generally, coal formation is done in four stages- Peat, Lignite, Bituminous, and Anthracite. 

Coal is formed depending on the conditions of the plant that are subjected to buried and decomposed under pressure and heat. When the heat and pressure are higher, the coal rank will also be great.

Like coal, petroleum is also formed from the residue of old marine organisms like plants, bacteria, and algae, etc. Geologists extracted crude oil by using giant drilling machines from underneath the earth’s surface or the bottom of the ocean to find out the petroleum pool. But petroleum, which is extracted from crude oil, is not ready to use directly as it is impure and not refined. 

By the application of the fractional distillation process, the impure crude oil is being refined. Hydrocarbons are being separated as a means to form various fractions such as kerosene, petrol, diesel, paraffin, etc. Petrol is a fossil fuel, and it is used in fuel vehicles. These different fractions not only can be used in transportation but are also helpful for the manufacturing of a lot of products such as tires, plastic, and polyester (a synthetic material).

Coal mainly contains 50% of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Coal can be used for various purposes such as:

• To generate electrical power.
• For steel production
• In cement manufacturing
• The burnt coal and its heat are used to transform water into steam to drive a turbine.

Petroleum is one of the important and majorly used fuel resources all over the world. The various uses of petroleum are discussed below:

• Used as transportation fuel in motorcycles, cars, light trucks, and boats.
• For generating heat and electricity
• Used as tar and road oil.
• From petroleum, various raw materials such as plastics, chemicals, and polyester can be made.

1. Are coal and petroleum natural resources?

Yes, coal and petroleum are natural resources. Coal and petroleum are fossil fuels- that means they are formed from living organisms that are dead thousand years ago.

2. Which type of resources are coal and petroleum?

Coal and petroleum are resources of fossil fuel.

3. Is petroleum better than coal?

Yes, petroleum can be called better than coal. During production, petroleum produces less release of carbon dioxide, and it is not harmful. But the carbon dioxide coming out during the production of coal is very harmful.

4. What is the difference in the formation of coal and petroleum?

The main difference in information on coal and petroleum is that petroleum is formed by removing sea animals under high temperature and high pressure. While on the contrary, coal is formed by removing trees and plants under high temperature and high pressure

5. Which is the cleanest fuel?

Natural gas is one of the cleanest and safest fuels.

6. What are coal and petroleum called?

Coal and petroleum are called ‘Fossil Fuels’ which means they are obtained from fossils that were found a thousand years ago.