Sugar Carbonisation with Sulphuric Acid

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SUGAR AND SULPHURIC ACID EXPERIMENT SHEET

Theme Chemical Reactions
Category Scientific Experiments, Chemistry Experiments
Main products Common Sugar, Sulphuric Acid
Short description In the reaction of this experiment we will be able to see the dehydrating power of sulphuric acid. The sugar completely removes the water particles from the sugar.

 

EXPERIMENTAL MATERIALS

  • Sugar.
  • Sulphuric Acid
  • Beaker (or ordinary glass beaker).

SUGAR AND SULPHURIC ACID EXPERIMENT STEP BY STEP

This experiment is very simple to perform, however the reagents used and the resulting products (gases) are harmful. It should only be carried out by an adult with knowledge of the chemicals resulting from the reaction.

  • Pour the sugar into a glass

  • Coat all sugar with sulphuric acid

  • Wait and observe the whole reaction

 

 

SUGAR DEHYDRATION REACTION

The sulphuric acid reacts with the sugar or sucrose by removing all the water molecules, oxidising the sugars. atoms dehydrating it. The chemical reaction final produced would be:

C12H22O11(s) + H2SO4(aq) + 1/2 O2(g) → 11C(s) + CO2(g) + 12H2O(g) + SO2(g)

However, the intermediate reactions produced generate noxious gases such as CO or SO2, which is why it has to be carried out outdoors or with a fume extraction hood.

The resulting product is charcoal (composed of molecules of carbon). This charcoal is also swollen, as it contains CO2 gas, making it very porous and fragile.

The reaction produced is an oxidation-reduction, redox reaction by the compounds involved and derivatives are called combustion reaction.

CAUTION WITH SULPHURIC ACID

The dehydrating capacity of sulphuric acid means that it attacks a great many materials, dehydrating them. Tissues, paper and also the skin and mucous membranes of human beings: because these are substances that contain water, it is also capable of dehydrating them.

On the other hand, this dehydrating capacity gives it many of the uses of sulphuric acid, as it is used in a multitude of industrial and laboratory processes. It is sometimes used to unblock pipes although it is a very dangerous process and it is better to use any of the other methods to unblock pipes.

10 comments on "Carbonización de Azúcar con Ácido Sulfúrico"

    1. Do not forget that there are always some acid residues, so never put it in your mouth and never touch it, you can get intoxicated or burn your mouth and in the second case damage your hands.
      I reiterate NEVER handle substances obtained from a reaction with strong acids.

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