There are three types of fossil fuels: coal, oil, and natural gas. Fossil fuels are formed from dead plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. These dead things were buried under the Earth’s surface and were heated and pressurized over time, turning them into fossil fuels.

Coal is a black rock-like substance that can be burned to produce energy. The advantage of coal is that it’s cheap, but the disadvantage is that mining coal can make the environment dirty and cause air pollution.

Oil is a thick liquid that can also be burned for energy. It’s used to make gasoline for cars and trucks. The advantage of oil is that it’s very efficient at producing energy, but the disadvantage is that oil spills can harm the environment and animals in the water.

Natural gas is a colorless gas that’s also good for producing energy. The advantage of natural gas is that it’s a cleaner fossil fuel, but it still contributes to climate change when it’s burned.

There are alternatives to using fossil fuels, like wind and solar power. Wind turbines use wind to produce electricity, and solar panels use the energy from the sun to produce electricity. These alternative sources of energy are clean and won’t harm the environment like fossil fuels do.

Fun fact: Fossil fuels were formed from plants and animals that lived millions of years ago, but they were once alive, just like us!

For more information about fossils, check out this link.