Page 64 - Science Class 08
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found in coal. However, we classify coal on the Uses
basis of the carbon amount present in it. v It is used as a good fuel as it does not
These are: release smoke.
Anthracite v It is used to reduce metal oxides such as
It has the largest amount of carbon. It contains zinc oxides and iron to get metals.
upto 96 percent of carbon. That’s why it is also v It is used to manufacture producer gas by
considered as the best variety of coal. passing air through red coke.
Bituminous Coal Producer gas is also a good fuel.
It contains about 65 percent carbon. v It is also used to produce water gas (H₂ +
Lignite CO) by passing steam over white hot coke.
It has about 38 percent carbon. Coal gas : Coal gas is obtained during the
processing of coal to get coke. In earlier days,
Uses of Coal
coal gas was used mainly for ligh ng.
Coal is s ll regarded as the most important Nowadays, coal gas is mainly used for hea ng
fossil fuel to its various uses. purposes. Industries situated near coal
v Coal is used in thermal power plants to produc on areas use coal gas for hea ng.
generate electricity. Coal tar : It is a black, thick liquid with
v It is also used as industrial fuel. unpleasant smell. Coal tar contains about 200
v A large number of families in rural areas substances which are separated by frac onal
s ll use it as a domes c fuel. dis lla on. Some important organic compounds
obtained from coal tar are benzene, toluene,
v Coal also gives as many other useful
products which can be used in number of napthalene, phenol, etc.
ways. Uses
In our country, coal is mainly found in The compounds obtained from coal tar are used
Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Madhya to make:
Pradesh. v pes cides
Destruc ve Dis lla on of Coal v naphthalene balls to repel moths
You have studied that frac onal dis lla on is v synthe c fibres
done to separate different components of
v explosives
petroleum. Similarly, destruc ve dis lla on is
done to obtain different products of coal. v dyes and paints
In destruc ve dis lla on, coal is strongly v perfume and plas cs
heated to 1000 °C in the absence of air. In this Water Gas : Steam of water combines with hot
process, we get various products of coal like coke at 1000 °C to produce a useful fuel. The
coke, coal gas, coal tar and ammonium mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen is
compounds. called water gas.
Coke : A er the destruc ve dis lla on of coal a C + H O CO + H 2
2
residue is obtained called coke. coke steam water gas
64 Science-8
