Which one of the following types of coal contains a higher percentage of carbon than the rest ?

Anthracite is the highest-rank coal and contains the greatest percentage of carbon (about 80–90%), making it the purest form among the listed types [1]. Bituminous coal has a slightly lower carbon range (roughly 76–86%), placing it below anthracite in carbon concentration and rank. Lignite is a low-grade coal with much less carbon (around 40–60%) and higher moisture content [2], while peat represents the initial stage of coalification, being highly moist and composed largely of undecayed plant matter with low fixed carbon [2]. Coalification progressively increases carbon content from peat → lignite → bituminous → anthracite, explaining why anthracite has the highest carbon proportion [2].

Sources

1. [1] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 8: Energy Resources > Classification > p. 2
2. [2] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 8: Energy Resources > Classification > p. 1
3. [3] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 27: Fuel and Power > Types of coal > p. 265
4. [4] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 9: Distribution of World Natural Resources > coal as a Resource > p. 9