What is the process called that transforms plant matter into coal during geological time?
Answer
Coalification
The correct answer is Coalification — The overall process of these transformations is called coalification.
Step-by-step solution
- Plant debris accumulates in swampy conditions forming peat.
- Peat gets buried under sediments, increasing temperature and pressure.
- Heat and pressure drive chemical changes and loss of water, converting peat into lignite, then sub-bituminous, bituminous, and finally anthracite.
- The overall process of these transformations is called coalification.
Common mistake: identifying only the peat stage
Concept tested: Coal formation process
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