Final answer:
Carbon monoxide gas is produced from the incomplete combustion of carbon in coal when there is insufficient oxygen. This reaction typically occurs at high temperatures above 800°C, where CO is formed from the initial product of carbon dioxide.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process that produces carbon monoxide (CO) gas from carbon from coal and oxygen from the air is known as incomplete combustion. Incomplete combustion occurs when there is not enough oxygen to allow the fuel (in this case, carbon or coal) to react completely to form carbon dioxide (CO₂), and instead, carbon monoxide is produced. At high temperatures, passing air over excess carbon results in the initial formation of carbon dioxide, which then equilibrates with the remaining hot carbon to form carbon monoxide. This is particularly common above 800°C, where CO becomes the predominant product. Moreover, carbon monoxide is also a pollutant produced by the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels, and various catalytic converters in automobiles are designed to reduce the emission of this toxic gas.