Vegetable/Fruit Charcoal

テキストボックス: Is there such thing as vegetable and fruit charcoal? From Wikipedia definition, charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of impure carbon obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances and is usually produce by pyrolysis-the heating of wood and other substances in the absence of air. In the activity above, the water was removed by slowly heating the vegetable/fruit in the absence of oxygen (the vegetable and fruit is inside a tightly closed tin can) so it could be considered as charcoal. Although this kind of charcoal is much less efficient than the commercial charcoal.

Taking it further:

1. Try the vegetable and fruit charcoal to be used as substitute in the wood charcoal in the activity Improvised Battery. Will it work? Explain why.

2. Think of a way wherein you can make a vegetable charcoal in which you can heat it at 500⁰C.

1. Make a very small hole in the cover of the tin can.

2. Cut the vegetables in your desired size. Put inside the tin can.

3. Cover the tin can and place it over the gas range. Turn on the gas range and set it on a very low fire.

4. While waiting, you could see smoke coming from the small hole of the tin can. When there is no smoke coming from the tin can anymore, it is the sign that your vegetable/fruit is already a charcoal. Usually it will take 2 hours or more depends upon the size and quantity of the vegetable and fruit.

Think about this: Why we need to cook it in a very low fire? What will happen if it was cooked in high temperature?

Note: Wood charcoal which is commercially sold is usually heated at a very high temperature (800^oC or more).