In industrial inorganic chemistry, is the statement Carbon disulfide is prepared by heating sulfur with charcoal correct or incorrect?

Introduction / Context:
Carbon disulfide is an industrial chemical used as a solvent and in the production of rayon, cellophane, and some pesticides. Knowing how it is prepared helps students connect chemical equations to industrial processes. A traditional method involves reacting sulfur with a form of carbon such as charcoal. This question checks whether you can correctly judge the accuracy of the statement that carbon disulfide is prepared by heating sulfur with charcoal.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The statement given is that carbon disulfide is prepared by heating sulfur and charcoal. - We must decide whether this statement is correct or incorrect. - We assume standard textbook descriptions of industrial preparation methods.

Concept / Approach:
Charcoal is a form of nearly pure carbon. When sulfur is heated with carbon at high temperature, the elements react to form carbon disulfide, which has the formula CS2. The reaction can be represented in simple form as C + 2S -> CS2. This is a direct combination reaction between carbon and sulfur. Textbooks often describe carbon disulfide as being prepared industrially by heating sulfur vapour with carbon sources such as charcoal. Therefore, the statement that carbon disulfide is prepared by heating sulfur and charcoal is essentially correct.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that carbon disulfide is a compound made from carbon and sulfur with the formula CS2. Step 2: Remember that one preparation method involves reacting sulfur vapour with carbon at high temperature. Step 3: Recognise that charcoal is a common, inexpensive source of carbon used in such reactions. Step 4: Write the simplified reaction C plus 2S giving CS2, which matches the description of heating sulfur with charcoal. Step 5: Conclude that the statement is scientifically correct, so the correct option must describe it as correct.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by consulting standard inorganic or industrial chemistry texts, which describe the manufacture of carbon disulfide by passing sulfur vapour over red hot carbon such as coke or charcoal. The resulting vapour mixture is then condensed to obtain liquid carbon disulfide. This matches the idea of heating sulfur with a carbon source, confirming that the statement is correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B claims that carbon disulfide cannot be obtained from sulfur and charcoal, which clearly contradicts the known preparation method. Option C states that carbon disulfide is formed only by reacting sulfur with water, which is incorrect because water is not involved in the standard preparation of CS2. Option D suggests that carbon disulfide is another name for carbon monoxide, which is wrong because carbon monoxide has the formula CO and a completely different structure and properties.

Common Pitfalls:
Some students may confuse carbon disulfide CS2 with carbon dioxide CO2 or carbon monoxide CO because of similar sounding names. Another common mistake is to assume that any process involving sulfur must require oxygen or water. In this case, the reaction is simply between sulfur and carbon. Remember that the name carbon disulfide implies carbon bonded to two sulfur atoms, which naturally suggests that reacting carbon with sulfur is a logical method of preparation.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is: Correct – carbon disulfide can be produced by heating sulfur with charcoal at high temperature.