Soot is carbon dust formed during incomplete combustion.
Sources: Terms of Environment. [online]. 1998. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Communication, Education, and Public Affairs. http://www.epa.gov/OCEPAterms/intro.htm [2001, Dec.]. As cited in: Hardy, Colin C., Ottmar, Roger D., Peterson, Janice L., Core, John E., and Seamon, Paula. 2001. Smoke Management Guide for Prescribed and Wildland Fire 2001 Edition. Produced by the National Wildfire coordinating Group Fire Use Working Team