Question

Which acid produces sugar charcoal from sugar?

Answer 1

Hint: Acids are the chemical species which have their $pH$ range $0 - 7$ . These substances neutralize alkalis. Charcoal sugar is produced by the dehydration of sugar. Sugar charcoal is the purest form of amorphous charcoal.

Complete step by step answer:
We know charcoal sugar is produced by the dehydration of sugar. It is the black residue of carbon. This means if we remove water from sugar, charcoal sugar will be formed. So, we have to find the acid which helps in dehydration. Sulphuric acid $\left( {{H_2}S{O_4}} \right)$ is the acid which helps in dehydration. This acid acts as a dehydrating agent. When sulphuric acid will be added to sugar the reaction that will take place is:
${C_{12}}{H_{22}}{O_{11}} + {H_2}S{O_4}\xrightarrow{{}}12C + 11{H_2}O$
This is the reaction that will take place. The carbon which is formed will be black in color and water will be produced in vapour form.
When we add sulphuric acid to sugar, it breaks all the bonds and individual elements are formed, that is carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are formed. But hydrogen and oxygen rejoins to form water. This reaction is highly exothermic because the amount of energy required to break the bonds is less than the energy that is released during bond formation. Energy present at room temperature is enough to carry out this reaction. Due to the high amount of energy released water vaporizes and is released as water vapours and we are left with black substance which is carbon (charcoal).

Note:
Sugar charcoal is used as a reducing agent. It decolorizes the colored solution and is also used in the preparation of artificial diamonds. When charcoal sugar is heated at high temperature it is converted into an artificial diamond.