pyroguy10 - 6-8-2006 at 16:41
I was just experimenting. I mixed sodium bisulfate, calcium oxide, and potassium nitrate into rubbing alcohol. It started emitting a gas of some kind.
I poured this mixture on some paper and the alcohol burned off but the paper was unchanged. What have I created??
hinz - 6-8-2006 at 16:53
Was it pure CaO? I think the gas was CO2 liberated of the inpure CaO/CaCO3 by the hydrogen sulfate. Nitrate does not oxidise your alkohol, unless you
heat it strongly.
This stuff should go to "Beginnings" I think
not_important - 6-8-2006 at 17:50
Most rubbing alcohol has a fair amount of water in it, typically it's 70% isopropanol and 30% water. That's enough water to react with the CaO,
dissove some of the NaHSO4 which would react with the CaO or Ca(OH)2 formed from CaO + water, giving more heat, and even make a little HNO3 which
would react with the bases.
oxide + water = hydroxide + heat
acid + base = salt + heat
"Beginnings"
samdar - 21-8-2006 at 17:31
a mess