What is tar?
Q: What is tar?
A: Tar is a sticky black liquid made of thick oil. It is a natural substance that can be produced from coal, petroleum, peat or wood.
Q: How is tar usually produced?
A: Tar is usually produced by heating coal inside a chemical apparatus.
Q: What other products are created when producing tar from coal?
A: When producing tar from coal, other products such as coke, liquor ammonia, and coal gas are also created.
Q: Is tar considered toxic?
A: Yes, tar made from coal or petroleum is considered toxic due to its high benzene content. However, in low concentrations it can be used as a medicine on the skin.
Q: What are tar kilns?
A: Tar kilns are dry distillation ovens used in Scandinavia for producing tar from wood. They consist of limestone or primitive holes in the ground with an outlet hole at the bottom to allow the tar to come out.
Q: How do you use a tar kiln?
A: Wood must be split into pieces about the size of a finger and stacked densely before being covered tightly with dirt and moss to prevent air entering. A fire must then be lit on top of this stack and left for several hours until the tar starts pouring out which will continue for several days afterwards.
