Velzee
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What exactly is taking place in this reaction?
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?
Check out the ScienceMadness Wiki: http://www.sciencemadness.org/smwiki/index.php/Main_Page
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Detonationology
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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]
“There are no differences but differences of degree between different degrees of difference and no difference.” ― William James
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