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Activated carbon

Activated carbon, also called activated charcoal, is a form of carbon commonly used to filter contaminants from water and air, among many other uses. It is processed (activated) to have small, low-volume pores that greatly increase the surface area available for adsorption or chemical reactions.. The pores can be thought of as a microscopic "sponge" structure.

Activation is analogous to making popcorn from dried corn kernels: popcorn is light, fluffy, and its kernels have a high surface-area-to-volume ratio.
Activated is sometimes replaced by active.

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Source: Wikipedia · Image: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.5

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