How is charcoal prepared? Explain why, charcoal is a better fuel than wood.

Charcoal is prepared by burning wood in a minimal or limited supply of air so that water and other volatile materials (methane, hydrogen, and tar) present in it get removed, and a black substance called charcoal is left behind.

Charcoal is a better fuel than wood because of the following reasons:

1. Charcoal has a higher calorific value than wood, which means charcoal produces more heat on burning than an equal mass of wood.

2. Charcoal does not produce smoke while burning, whereas wood produces a lot of smoke on burning and causes air pollution.

Charcoal is a lightweight, porous black carbon residue, consisting of an amorphous form of carbon, which is obtained by strongly heating wood (or other animal and plant materials) in minimal or limited oxygen to remove all water and volatile constituents such as methane, hydrogen, and tar. This process is called charcoal burning.