Additional Resources

Hello. Something to help you guys out: There was a special edition of Scientific American (Spetember 2006 Vol.295 #3) that was all about Energy/global warming/coal etc. It has excellent articles. We have the print copy in the library and you can also access all of the articles through the Ebsco host database. Once on the green library page click Ebsco/select Mas Full Text Ultra/ limit your search to Scientific American on that date.

Coal has been around for centuries. Coal is a nonrenewable energy source because it takes millions of years to form. It is formed by the pressurization and decaying of rocks, dirt and plants. It was first used by the Chinese to aid in the process of smelting and creating metal tools. The Chinese’s methods eventually spread to Europe where they were modernized further and heavily used during the industrialization of the 1800s. Coal slowly replaced wood and became one of the leading energy resources in the world.
During both World Wars, coal was in constant demand. It was a necessity for creating metal and transportation. Although coal was heavily used in both world wars, the need for petroleum was rising due to the invention of the automobile in the early 1900s. By 1945, coal resources were exhausted from the wars.

Oil Fuel: An Introduction

Oil fuel has been used for centuries but not always as fuel. Being brought up from wells in the Middle East and other hotspots, oil was used in the 1800s for waterproofing buildings, boats, etc. Also, oil was used as a disinfectant in the medicine field as well as a cure for kidney stones.

Once oil’s potential as an energy source was discovered, it quickly replaced wood and other energies as fuel. At the time, there was a gross of oil in the world since it was an untapped source. Oil was used in large numbers all over the world.