Question

piles of coal at a power plant
complete the sentence.
when fossil fuels burn, much of the energy is
in the form of
, and carbon is
in the form of
fossil fuels are made up of carbon - based molecules that have been compacted into a dense form, such as coal or oil.
the piles of black coal at the power plant in the picture are used to generate electricity. as coal burns in the power plant, the molecules in the coal react with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water vapor. this reaction releases energy as heat. then, this heat energy moves a machine called a turbine, which spins a generator to create electricity.

Explanation:

Fossil fuels like coal are carbon - based. When coal burns, chemical energy (stored in its carbon - based molecules) is released. First, it's in the form of heat (thermal energy). Then, this heat is used to create steam (water vapor). The steam moves a turbine (mechanical energy in the form of motion). The turbine spins a generator, which converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.

Answer:

When fossil fuels burn, much of the energy is in the form of heat. Then, this heat energy moves a machine called a turbine, which spins a generator to create electricity.