OHST Practice Exam 2026 – The Comprehensive All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

The process that uses carbon to remove contaminants or undesirable odors from air in a ventilation system is adsorption. In this context, adsorption refers to the process where molecules of gases, liquids, or dissolved solids adhere to the surface of a solid or liquid. Activated carbon is commonly used for this purpose due to its large surface area and porous structure, which allows it to effectively trap and hold various contaminants and odors present in the air.

This contrasts with absorption, which involves a different mechanism wherein the contaminant is taken up into the bulk of another substance (such as a liquid) rather than just adhering to its surface. While combustion is a method that can reduce certain organic compounds through burning, it is not specifically designed for odor removal or contaminant adsorption in air. Condensation, on the other hand, is a phase transition from gas to liquid and is not directly related to the process of removing odors or contaminants from the air using carbon. Thus, adsorption is the most suitable process for this application.