Which of the following gases is produced when coal burns in insufficient oxygen?

RRB Nsg. Superintendent -29 April-2025 (shift-2nd)

General Knowledge

Easy

Appeared in: RRB Nsg. Superintendent -29 April-2025 (shift-2nd)

Explanation

The question describes a scenario of incomplete combustion, which occurs when a fuel like coal burns with an insufficient oxygen supply.
Incomplete combustion of carbon-containing materials (like coal) produces carbon monoxide (CO) as the primary gaseous product.
This is a fundamental concept in chemistry and environmental health, directly linked to the dangers of indoor heating with poor ventilation.

Option A: Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is primarily formed at very high temperatures, such as in internal combustion engines or during certain industrial processes. It is not a primary product of coal burning in low oxygen.
Option B: Sulphur dioxide (SO₂) is produced from the combustion of sulfur impurities present in fossil fuels like coal. While it is a product of burning coal, it is not the gas produced from carbon due to insufficient oxygen.
Option D: Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the product of complete combustion, which occurs when there is a sufficient or plentiful supply of oxygen. The question specifies an insufficient oxygen supply.

Visual 1: Diagram: A visual comparing complete combustion (blue flame, producing CO₂) and incomplete combustion (yellow/orange flame, producing CO and soot).
Visual 2: Infographic: An infographic illustrating how carbon monoxide displaces oxygen from hemoglobin in the bloodstream, leading to carboxyhemoglobin formation and tissue hypoxia.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Incomplete Combustion and Gas Production helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses must be aware of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, especially in patients from homes using coal, wood, or kerosene heaters ('angithis') in poorly ventilated spaces during winter.
Recognizing the early signs of CO poisoning (headache, dizziness, nausea) is crucial for prompt intervention, which includes removing the person from the source and administering 100% oxygen.
What if the patient is a heavy smoker? Smokers already have baseline carboxyhemoglobin levels of 5-10%, making them more susceptible to the effects of acute CO exposure and likely to present with more severe symptoms at lower environmental concentrations.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key phrase in the question: 'insufficient oxygen'.
Recall the two main types of combustion: complete (with sufficient oxygen) and incomplete (with insufficient oxygen).
Associate 'insufficient oxygen' with 'incomplete combustion'.
Remember the primary products of each type of combustion for carbon-based fuels: complete combustion yields carbon dioxide (CO₂), while incomplete combustion yields carbon monoxide (CO).
Select the option that matches the product of incomplete combustion.
Differentiate this from other pollutants like sulphur dioxide, which comes from impurities in the fuel, not the carbon itself.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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