Final answer:
The first machines of the Industrial Revolution were powered primarily by water and later by the prominent use of coal, which was used to fuel steam engines, enabling greater mobility and expansion of industry. The correct answer is option (D).
Step-by-step explanation:
The first machines of the Industrial Revolution were primarily powered by water and later by coal. Water power was utilized initially in the form of waterwheels and turbines, particularly in mills like those for flour and textiles. However, with the invention and development of the steam engine by James Watt, and the subsequent use of coal as a fuel source, factories were able to move away from relying solely on the power of rivers and could be located in more convenient locations closer to cities and raw materials.
Coal thus became the driving force behind the mobility and expansion of industrial machinery, enabling the growth of industries beyond the constraints of waterways.