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Difficulty: EasyCarbon: Allotropes, Coal Distillation, and Industrial Fuel Gases

Arrange the following products obtained during the destructive distillation of coal in order of decreasing volatility (from the most volatile product to the solid residue left behind):

  1. 1Coal gas
  2. 2Ammoniacal liquor
  3. 3Coal tar
  4. 4Coke

Answer

The correct order of products from most volatile to least volatile (solid residue) is Coal gas, Ammoniacal liquor, Coal tar, and Coke.
Destructive distillation of coal yields volatile gaseous products (coal gas), liquid condensate fractions (ammoniacal liquor and coal tar), and a non-volatile solid residue (coke). Arranging by decreasing volatility places the gaseous coal gas first, followed by ammoniacal liquor, coal tar, and finally coke.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the physical states and volatility of the products of destructive distillation of coal.
Coal gas is gaseous; ammoniacal liquor and coal tar are liquids of differing density/volatility; coke is a solid residue.
Destructive distillation involves heating coal in the absence of air to separate volatile compounds from non-volatile solids.
2
Rank the fractions based on volatility.
Gases evolve first without condensing (Coal gas), followed by light aqueous distillates (Ammoniacal liquor), heavy liquid fractions (Coal tar), and finally the solid non-volatile residue (Coke).
Volatility determines the sequence in which products escape and condense during industrial coal refining.

Key Concept

Destructive Distillation of Coal and By-product Volatility
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Topics

Carbon: Allotropes, Coal Distillation, and Industrial Fuel Gases

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