[Corvettaholic]

I know charcoal is just plain carbon, but its not a single carbon all by itself is it? Maybe C₂, or C₄?

But anyway, my cigarette filter has activated charcoal in it, as does my gas mask filter. What's the difference between activated charcoal versus the regular stuff I toss in my grill? Oh, and why does charcoal burn? So you got carbon, but no hydrogen... therefore its not a hydrocarbon? Or is there hydrogen present?

[Mitch]

magnesium burns and has no hydrogen as well. Oxygen is just a good oxidizer.

[Scratch-]

http://science.howstuffworks.com/question209.htm