WELL INTERNATIONAL | TAMILNADU | INDIA | https://wellinternational.in Understanding Activated Carbon Activated carbon is derived from organic materials such as wood, coal, peat, coconut shells, or even agricultural by-products. It goes through an activation process that creates an extensive network of pores and increases its surface area, giving it a unique ability to attract and trap various contaminants. Physical Adsorption The primary mechanism by which activated carbon works is physical adsorption, also known as Van der Waals forces or London dispersion forces. These are weak intermolecular forces that occur when carbon's surface attracts and retains organic and inorganic compounds present in water. The high porosity of activated carbon provides an enormous surface area for the adsorption process to take place, allowing it to trap a wide range of impurities.