As an energy expert, I'm delighted to explain what natural gas is to kids in a way that's both educational and engaging.

Natural gas is a type of energy that we use to do many things in our daily lives, like cooking our food, heating our homes, and even powering some cars. It's a special kind of gas that comes from deep inside the Earth, where it's been hiding for millions of years. Just like oil and coal, natural gas is what we call a "fossil fuel." That's because it's made from tiny plants and animals that lived a long, long time ago, even before your great-great-great-grandparents were born!

When these tiny creatures died, they sank into the mud at the bottom of the ocean. Over many years, they got covered by more and more layers of mud and rock, which pressed down on them and turned them into a thick, black substance. This process is like making a very, very old and special kind of soup that cooks for millions of years underground. And just like when you cook soup, heat is important. The heat and pressure deep inside the Earth help turn this mixture into natural gas, oil, and coal.

Now, the thing about natural gas is that it's a nonrenewable resource. This means that once we use it all up, we can't get it back. It takes such a long time to form that we have to be careful with how much we use and look for other ways to make energy too.

Sometimes, natural gas can come up to the Earth's surface by itself. This can happen if there are tiny cracks or holes in the ground. When it comes out, it can mix with the air and just float away, or sometimes, if it meets a spark from a lightning strike, it can catch fire and burn up quickly.

Natural gas is important because it's a clean source of energy. That means it doesn't make as much pollution as some other types of energy. When we burn natural gas, it mostly turns into water vapor and carbon dioxide, which is better for the environment than the smoke and other bad stuff that can come from burning coal or oil.

But even though natural gas is cleaner, we still need to be careful. We have to make sure we get it out of the ground safely and use it wisely. That's why scientists and engineers are always looking for new ways to find and use natural gas, and also to discover new sources of energy that are even better for our planet.

So, kids, remember that natural gas is a valuable resource that helps us do many things, but it's also important that we learn about and use other types of energy to take care of our Earth for many years to come.

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Natural gas - like oil and coal - is a fossil fuel. It is a --nonrenewable-- fuel because it takes millions of years to form deep in the earth before it can be used again. ... Sometimes the gas would seep up to the earth's surface and dissipate into the air or ignite from lightning strikes.read more >>