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  ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT Fossil fuel formation   •   Fossil fuels: carbon-based fuels, formed many millions of years ago from the decay of living matter.   •   Coal: formed from plants.   •   Oil and natural gas: formed from sea creatures. Formation of coal:   ·             Huge forests grew millions of years ago covering most of the Earth.   ·         The vegetation died and formed peat.   ·         The peat was compressed between layers of sediments to form lignite (low-grade coal).   ·         Further compression formed coal.   Formation of oil and natural gas: ·         Small animals and plants die and fall to the bottom of the sea. ·         Their remains are covered by sediments. ·         As the sediments start forming layers, they start to change into sandstone as the temperature and pressure increase.   ·         The heat and pressure turn the remains into crude oil and natural gas.   ·         They separate and rise through the