Instant Chemical Fire REE!!

[HelloHelp100]

Remember me, "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"

 

This is the equation: 2KClO3(s) —heat—> 2KCl(s) + 3O2(g) , sulfuric acid is a spectator, and sugar is a catalyst in the form of energy so they do not appear in the chemical equation.

 

I have a couple more questions:

1. Why was their white smoke? Carbon was not apart of either the reactants or the products.

2. What were the black left overs? Was it burnt KCl, because that is what KClO3 decomposes into. Were they sugar or potassium chlorate. Both were originally white.

3. A combustion reaction took place, because there was a fire. however, the above reaction accounts for only what happened to the Potassium Chlorate. Why did O2 escape from that?

4. Are their any alternate chemicals that could have been used to produce the exact same reaction? I think maganese catalysts work, and Rb and Cs instead of K would work because they produce similar wavelengths which would make a purple fire. Is this correct?

5. It is true that sugar is a catalyst for the reaction in the sense that it provided energy and accelerated the reaction, correct?

6. The above accounts only for the decomposition of potassium chlorate with heat and a catalyst. However, what are the other byproducts that occur but are not apart of the chemical equation, like CO2 and H2O? Why can't I put them in the chemical equation.

[YT2095]

I take Issue with point #2

 

Carbon WAS in fact part of the equasion, something you seemed to have overlooked!

care to look up What Sugar is made of?