Eli5:How do power plants turn coal into power?

Question

They burn coal, but how does that turn into energy?

In: Engineering

Answer 1

Generally:

1. Smash up the coal so it’s a fine powder
2. Shoot coal powder into a giant furnace
3. Use heat from furnace to boil cold water into piping hot steam at a high pressure
4. Force rushing steam through turbines (like a fan), which drives an electricity generator