What Smoke Is?

The incomplete combustion of fuels results in smoke. There would be no smoke if our fuels burn completely. The fuels In general consist of hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, a little sulfur, and possibly some mineral ash. In case the fuels burn completely the final product – water vapor, free nitrogen, and carbon dioxide which is harm-less. Due to the presence of sulfur, sulfur dioxide is also given off. On coming in contact with air and moisture it becomes a corrosive acid.

Fuel must have enough air for full oxidation at a high temperature for overall complete combustion. Attaining these ideal conditions is difficult, particularly with solid fuels and thus the smoke is the result. Since there is no volatile matter with Anthracite and coke, so these can be burnt without producing smoke. The bituminous coals decompose at low temperatures so the gases and tarry matter are freed; they combine with ash and dust and produce smoke.

The city air is full of solid suspended matter, but not all of this is smoke. It may contain vegetable matter, other materials, and dust, these settle down gravity. In small towns or suburbs, probably from 30 to 45 tonnes of these deposits settle down every square kilometer annually. The industrial cities which are big may get deposits up to ten times.

Smoke is very harmful for health, property, and vegetation alike. The intensity of sunshine is also lowered in large industrial towns. It affects the ultraviolet rays, which are so essentially required for good health. The wind spreads smoke, otherwise, in the industrial towns, there would be fog every day. The places where smoky fog occurs get affected with lung and heart diseases.

The vegetation is equally, adversely affected and interferes with sunlight so essentially required. The acid content in smoke destroys the plants directly. Now, since we have known and understood the harmful effects of smoke the governments are waging campaigns to cut down on smoke and to prevent or reduce the damage.