Soot Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Soot, also called lamp black or carbon black, is a dark powdery deposit of unburned fuel residues, usually composed mainly of amorphous carbon, that accumulates in chimneys and other surfaces exposed to smoke -- especially from the combustion of carbon-rich organic fuels in the lack of sufficient oxygen.Lamp black has been used as black pigment in paints inks since prehistoric times, is still widely used e.g. in printing inks, toners for xerography and laser printers, and in chemical industry. The black color of rubber tiress is due to the use of lamp black as an ingredient in their vulcanisation. Carbon black in tires accounts for around 85% of the market.
Lamp black is easily produced experimentally by passing some noncombustible surface (such as a tin can lid) closely through a candle flame. Lamp black produced in this way is both one of the darkest colored and least shiny substances known.
Lamp black is also used to coat aluminum foil that has been previously attached to a recording drum for use in a recording barograph or other instrument. In this case, the sooty smoke is produced by burning a small amount of camphor. After recording the image is fixed by spraying the surface with a clear lacquer.
Cigarette smoke contains soot, which clogs up the lungs, and damages them. This causes the lung tissue to be scarred, reducing its elasticity and thus its surface area. Therefore air is trapped in the lung, as gaseous exchange is not as efficient. This condition is called emphysema, and can eventually cause death.