Question

Identify the acid which matches the following description:
The acid which produces sugar charcoal from sugar.

Answer 1

Reaction of concentrated Sulphuric acid and sugar crystal:-

1. When conc. Sulphuric acid reacts with sugar it forms a black spongy mass of carbon.
2. This mass of carbon is called sugar charcoal.
3. Balanced chemical equation- $\underset{\left(\mathrm{Sugar}\right)}{{\mathrm{C}}_{12}{\mathrm{H}}_{22}{\mathrm{O}}_{11}}\stackrel{\underset{(\mathrm{Conc}.\mathrm{sulphuric}\mathrm{acid})}{{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4}}{\to }\underset{\left(\mathrm{Carbon}\right)}{12\mathrm{C}}+\underset{\left(\mathrm{Water}\right)}{11{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}}$

Hence, the acid which produces sugar charcoal from sugar is concentrated sulphuric acid.