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What is the effect of surface area and temperature on the adsorption of carbon dioxide on activated charcoal?

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ago by (270 points)
The adsorption of carbon dioxide  CO2  on activated charcoal is influenced by both the surface area of the activated charcoal and the temperature of the system. Here's how each factor affects the adsorption process:1. Surface area: Activated charcoal is known for its high surface area, which is a result of its porous structure. The larger the surface area, the more adsorption sites are available for CO2 molecules to bind. As a result, an increase in the surface area of activated charcoal leads to an increase in the adsorption capacity for CO2. This means that more CO2 can be adsorbed onto the activated charcoal when the surface area is larger.2. Temperature: The effect of temperature on the adsorption of CO2 on activated charcoal is related to the adsorption isotherm and the type of adsorption process. In general, adsorption processes can be classified as either exothermic  releasing heat  or endothermic  absorbing heat .For CO2 adsorption on activated charcoal, the process is typically exothermic. This means that as the temperature increases, the adsorption capacity decreases. The reason for this is that higher temperatures provide more energy to the CO2 molecules, making it more difficult for them to remain adsorbed on the activated charcoal surface. As a result, the equilibrium between adsorbed and non-adsorbed CO2 shifts towards the non-adsorbed state, leading to a decrease in the overall adsorption capacity.In summary, the adsorption of CO2 on activated charcoal is positively affected by an increase in surface area and negatively affected by an increase in temperature. Optimizing these factors can help improve the efficiency of activated charcoal for capturing and storing CO2.
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