With reference to fossil fuels, consider the following statements :
1. Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel and has high specific energy and energy density.
2. The action of heat and pressure changes plant matter in stages from anthracite to bituminous to lignite coal.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Question

With reference to fossil fuels, consider the following statements :

1. Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel and has high specific energy and energy density.

2. The action of heat and pressure changes plant matter in stages from anthracite to bituminous to lignite coal.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Prepp Team · Accepted Answer

To determine which statements regarding fossil fuels are correct, let's analyze each statement individually.

Statement 1: "Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel and has high specific energy and energy density."
Coal is indeed the most abundant fossil fuel on Earth and is widely used for producing energy. It comprises different types, such as anthracite, bituminous, and lignite, based on their carbon content. Coal generally has a high energy density, although its specific energy is lower than some other energy sources like natural gas. Regardless, the statement is generally true when referring to coal being abundant and having high energy characteristics.
Statement 2: "The action of heat and pressure changes plant matter in stages from anthracite to bituminous to lignite coal."
This statement describes the transformation of plant matter into coal. However, the stages mentioned in the transformation process are incorrect. The correct order is from lignite to bituminous to anthracite coal. Lignite is the lowest grade coal with the least carbon content, followed by bituminous with moderate carbon content, and anthracite with the highest carbon content. Thus, this statement is incorrect.

Based on the analysis, the answer is that Statement 1 is correct, while Statement 2 is incorrect. Therefore, the correct answer is:

1 only