Question: When superheated steam is passed through white hot wood charcoal, it gets reduced to a mixture of X,...

Question

When superheated steam is passed through white hot wood charcoal, it gets reduced to a mixture of X, Y, and this reaction is named as Z. identify Y.
(A) $C{O_2}$
(B) $S{O_2}$
(C) ${H_2}$
(D) $N{O_2}$

Answer 1

Solution

When carbon is treated with water, the main products are either carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide.For this particular reaction, it is the production of carbon monoxide.
It refers to limited air supply .Charcoal is produced by strongly heating wood so that black carbon is left as a residue.

Complete step by step answer:
${H_2}O + C \to CO + {H_2}$
This reaction is endothermic with $\Delta H = + 131{K}/{mol}$
Endothermic reactions are chemical reactions in which the reactants absorb heat energy from the surroundings to form products. These reactions lower the temperature of their surrounding area, thereby creating a cooling effect.
There is partial oxidation in this reaction.
The mixture of the products $CO + {H_2}$ is called water gas.
Here, superheated steam is passed which means there is limited or negligible air supply.
Superheated steam is steam at a temperature higher than its vaporization point at the absolute pressure where the temperature is measured.
This leads to the formation of a less oxidized product i.e. carbon monoxide rather than carbon dioxide.
The mixture of the products $CO + {H_2}$ is also called syngas or synthesis gas.
This reaction is called a carbonization reaction
Here, water is being reduced to hydrogen gas and at the same time, carbon is being oxidized to carbon monoxide.
Such a reaction is referred to as a redox reaction.
Hence, here X is $CO$ and Y is ${H_2}$ . And Z is a carbonization reaction.

So, the correct answer is Option C .

Note: Carbon monoxide is a colorless, flammable, and toxic gas. It is produced when there is a limited supply of air. Otherwise, the product is carbon dioxide. Carbon monoxide is short-lived and has some biological functions. Carbon dioxide is a colorless gas with an extra oxygen atom compared to carbon monoxide. The mixture of carbon dioxide dissolved in water is called carbonic acid.