what is wood charcoal and uses of wood charcoal ?

what is wood charcoal and uses of wood charcoal ?

Aug 26, 2022, 16:45 IST

Wood charcoal:

When wood is heated strongly in the limited supply of oxygen (destructive distillation), wood charcoal is obtained.

It is black, porous, brittle solid. Charcoal in the powdered form is a good adsorbent. It adsorbs colouring matter from solution and several gases from air, including poisonous gases. It is a good reducing agent. It is heavier than water (density 1.5 g ml ^{- 3} ) but floats over it due to absorbed air in its pores. On heating upto redness, air expels out, now it sinks, if thrown in water.

The volume of gas adsorbed on charcoal depends on:

a) Temperature of charcoal:

More gas is adsorbed at low temperature. Increase of temperature increases kinetic energy of gas molecules. This helps them leave away the surface of adsorbent more easily.

b) Nature of gas:

Gases with higher boiling points are adsorbed upto more extent than others. Poisonous gases are easily condensed and more readily adsorbed.

c) Nature of charcoal:

Physics Wallah Chemistry Doubts page consist of more questions for reference.

Activated charcoal is the coconut charcoal treated with steam to increase the ability to adsorb more amount of gases. Activated charcoal adsorbs the more volume of a gas in comparison to ordinary charcoal.

Uses:

• As a fuel

• In gunpowder

• Deodorant and decolorizing

• In gas masks

what is wood charcoal and uses of wood charcoal ? pdf