Sciencemadness Discussion Board

What exactly is taking place in this reaction?

Velzee - 24-1-2016 at 22:02

At around 0:58 of the video linked here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uUCqvv_mtHA , it is stated that 4 parts powdered table sugar, 1 part baking soda, and 1 part isopropanol was mixed together and ignited, producing a tower, of what I presume to be, carbon, similar to that of the reaction between H2SO4 and table sugar.

I believe that the reaction goes somewhat as follows(not balanced): C12H22O11+NaHCO3+C3H8O--->NaX + CO2 + C + H2O

(I am not sure what X is)

What do you believe is the correct equation for the reaction shown in that part of the video?

Detonationology - 24-1-2016 at 22:52

There isn't much science with this reaction. I may be wrong, but it appears that the sugar just burns with the help of IPA to make a tower of carbon that is simply fluffed up with CO2 produced from the decomposing baking soda. The reactions would be:


C12H22O11 + 12 O2 ---> 12 CO2 + 11 H2O (Partial combustion i.e. not enough oxygen i.e carbon deposit)

2 C3H7OH + 9 O2 ---> 6 CO2 + 8 H2O

2 NaHCO3 ---> Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2
Na2CO3 ---> Na2O + CO2

All of the reactions together produce lots of gasses that get trapped with the pillar of carbon. The dehydration of sucrose using sulfuric acid is much more interesting because of the extreme dehydrating/hygroscopic properties of H2SO4. Another reaction that creates a pillar of carbon is the rapid decomposition of p-nitroaniline... now that is cool stuff to check out.



[Edited on 1-25-2016 by Detonationology]