Question

Coal gas is a mixture of:
(A)- $C{H}_4,COand{H}_2$
(B)- $H_2$ , saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, $CO,C{O}_2,N_2,and{O}_2$
(C)- saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons
(D)- $CO,C{O}_2,andC{H}_4$

Answer 1

Hint: The various gases as given are produced as by-products during the decomposition of the coal, with varying temperature. So, the composition of the coal gas is obtained from it.

Complete step by step answer:
-The coal gas, also commonly known as the Town gas and is a gaseous product, along with other by-products formed during the process. It is obtained by the decomposition of the unprocessed coal by heating it at a very high temperature, in the absence of oxygen and it escapes the apparatus. This process is known as the destructive distillation.
-During this process, the coal as the initial feedstock which is present in four different types and also, the varied temperature at which the process is carried out, also varies the composition of the coal gas produced.
-The coal gas comprises of calorific gases like methane (35%), hydrogen (50%) and carbon-monoxide (10%), along with other volatile unsaturated hydrocarbons like ethylene and acetylene and non-calorific gases like nitrogen, carbon-dioxide which make a very small portion in it.
-The methane gas being one of its components, makes it highly inflammable. Thus, the leakage must be regulated as it may lead to explosions on reacting with the air, as it is heavier than the air and does not dissipate.

Therefore, the Coal gas is a mixture of option (A)- $C{H}_4,COand{H}_2$.

Note: Due to the presence of the calorific gases and hydrocarbons, the coal gas is highly combustible and easily ignitable producing large amounts of heat energy which is used in industrial and household purposes.