Activated carbon vs. Typical bonfire coal

[civil_dude]

Does anyone know the difference? Specs and such?

Thanks

[Mental Gridlock]

Activated charcoal has lots more surface area to help for filters and stuff... They can make it with 2 square kilometers in a gram I hear.

[mrjeffy321]

Activated Carbon is specially treated/made to that the particles have a very high surface area.
This increased surface area of Activated Carbon over regular coal-Carbon makes it much more reactive (more surfact area means more spots for a reaction to take place) and very desireable for use in pyrotechnics and in carbon filtration.

[Mattara]

Normal choal-carbon contains many inpurities compared to the chemically altered activated carbon, but I assume that you meant coal-carbon without it?

[olmpiad]

Activated Carbon has a high surface area that allows it to absorb water and other such chemicals from the air. Coal is way too dense for this. However, if the activated carbon has been used to its full extent, it will be about the same thing as the coal.