If carbon is a byproduct\end product of combustion, why exactly is coal so good at burning? Isn’t coal just pure carbon?

Question

If carbon is a byproduct\end product of combustion, why exactly is coal so good at burning? Isn’t coal just pure carbon?

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

Nope! Coal is carbon bonded in chains with hydrogen and oxygen (and a few other, kinda problematic things like sulfur) when burned, the bonds keeping all that together are broken, creating water, carbon di/monoxide, and freeing whatever other chemicals were in the coal, like calcium and sulfur.