Instant Chemistry Fire Help

[HelloHelp100]

Hey, me and a friend did the instant chemical fire experiment. In this experiment, you combine safe amounts( 3-4 grams) of each potassium chlorate and granulated sugar and add a couple drops of sulfuric acid. The first two times we did it, we did it in a beaker under a fume hood. However, a very small flame occured. the next two times we did it, we did it on a watch glass and we watched a wild purple fire

 

1. Why did that happen? Is this due to surface area in any way, and how it impacts oxidation. Could you answer and reference a website that answers it too?

2. Why was the flame purple, this really confused me?

3. what would be the chemical equation for this reaction, and why did would it form such products?

KClO3 + H2SO4 + C6H12O6-->KClO4 + CO2 + H2. Would this be lost? It is kind of complex.

 

 

Thanks, this has been bugging me for a long time, and I couldnt' find a website that would answer this, I think this is pretty simple stuff. Please help. Thanks!

[psynapse]

Iono. Try looking for the actual balanced equation.

[Phi for All]

Did you notice a pungent smell? Because I smell homework.

 

We can 't do it for you, bud.

[HelloHelp100]

no it is not hw, can you at least give me a direction for discovering possible reasons why the reactions different. I thought of this by myself, were they possibly different because of limited surface areas in the beakers which would constrain oxidation?

[encipher]

Hi,

 

With regards to the first question, surface area does indeed affect the rate of the reaction, the rate of reaction increases as the surface area does. This is due to the fact that more particles are exposed to each other and they have more 'sites' at which they can react.

 

The purple flame is characteristic of potassium salts (in this case KMnO4). Each element has its own unique emission spectrum. The flame excites the electrons of the Potassium, causing them to go into higher orbitals from their ground state. In order for the electrons to return to their ground state, they must release the additional energy in the form of light. Different metal electrons emit different wavelengths of light to return to their respective ground states, so the flame colors are varied.

 

I wouldn't know the exact reaction that goes on with the KCLO3, sugar and sulfuric acid. So I'd wait for someone else who knows to reply

[woelen]

The sulphuric acid causes decomposition of the KClO3. One of the products is ClO2 and this is EXTREMELY reactive, igniting the sugar. The heat, produced in this reaction is enough to ignite the rest of the mixture. So, the sulphuric acid is just for getting the reaction going.

 

The reaction between sugar and KClO3 leads to formation of KCl, CO2 and H2O in an ideal mix, but in practice, you will get partially burnt sugar and part of it also will form caramel (notice the smell). There definitely is no production of KClO4 and H2!

 

The violence of the reaction depends on the ratio of chemicals used (there is an optimal ratio), and on how well they are mixed and how fine the powders are.

[bob000555]

H2SO4 liberates weaker acids form their salts.

2KClO4+H2SO4->2HClO3+K2SO4

 

C6H12O6+4HClO3->12H2O+6CO2+4HCl is the next basic reaction but the purple is most likely caused by small amounts of ClO2 and gaseous CCl4

[woelen]

H2SO4 liberates weaker acids form their salts.

2KClO4+H2SO4->2HClO3+K2SO4

 

C6H12O6+4HClO3->12H2O+6CO2+4HCl is the next basic reaction but the purple is most likely caused by small amounts of ClO2 and gaseous CCl4

What you are telling is not correct.

ClO2 is red as a liquid and in concentrated solution, it is deep yellow as a gas and in dilute solution. In this reaction no CCl4 is formed.

 

The purple color of the flame is due to the potassium ions, which are heated strongly. Many ions emit a specific colof of light, when they are heated strongly. Potassium ions emit a lilac color, other well knowns are sodium with yellow/orange light, calcium with reddish/orange light, cesium with blue light, etc.

 

Mono-sugars react with concentrated HClO3 as follows:

 

C6H12O6 + HClO3 ---> BOOM

 

Ordinary table sugar (a disaccharide) reacts as follows:

 

C12H22O11 + HClO3 ---> BOOM

[bob000555]

He said a drop or two of H2SO4 the abover raction provides the heat for a simple KClO4+C6H12O6 reaction basicly the same as rocket candy(a simple rocket propelent) is KNO3+C6H12O6. Also posable is the heat from the H2SO4+C6H12O6->6H2O+6C

(H2SO4 is a verry stron dehydrater) reaction causes the KClO4+C6H12O6

[SCIGENIUS]

But wouldn't all these chemicals cause an explosion when heated? I mean, if you're talking about isotopes, well...BOOM

[YT2095]

Isotopes??? Where?

[SCIGENIUS]

I thought Bob000555 was talking about isotopes.

[insane_alien]

so you obviously have no idea what an isotope is.

 

An isotope is an atom of some element(lets take hydrogen as an example) with a number of neutrons. Hydrogen has 3 main isotopes, H-1 (only a proton) H-2 (1 proton, 1 neutron) and H-3(1 proton, 2 neutrons) it goes up to H-7 but they don't last very long.

 

the three main isotopes are also called protium, deuterium and tritium respectivley

[SCIGENIUS]

Yes, for your information I do know what it is, I am smart.

[insane_alien]

then why did you bring isotopes up? if you were trying to be sarky then you'll need to wait till we know you better.

[SCIGENIUS]

No, I thought IC stood for isotope concentrate.

[bob000555]

i never mentioned ic....if by"ic" you mean cl that's chlorine.....

[SCIGENIUS]

You mentioned "Cl"-what is "Cl"

[bob000555]

the symbol for chlorine.

[YT2095]

Cl is the Chem term for Chlorine, Cl2 to be exact if it`s a stand-alone molecule.

[insane_alien]

where the hell is IC? i can't see it anywhere.

[SCIGENIUS]

Oh, OK

[bob000555]

where the hell is IC? i can't see it anywhere.

 

relly scigenius did you make it up?

[insane_alien]

my question was answered before my crappy connection allowed me to post

[SCIGENIUS]

No, Bob000555, I didn't, I was confused, later found that IC was actually Cl