Concept:Steam engines require a fuel that burns to release heat, which is then used to boil water and produce steam.
Explanation:In a steam engine, fuel is burned in a firebox to produce a large amount of heat.
This heat boils water in a boiler, and the resulting high-pressure steam pushes pistons or turns turbines.
Among the options, coal is the traditional solid fossil fuel that was widely used to power steam locomotives and stationary steam engines.
Coal has significant chemical energy stored in its carbon-based structure.
When coal burns in oxygen, it undergoes combustion, releasing heat energy according to the reaction:
C+O2→CO2+heat.
This heat is effectively transferred to the water to generate steam, making coal the correct fuel for steam engines.
Lubricating oil, bitumen, and diesel oil are not the primary fuels for classic steam engines.
Answer:B. coal