Question

Distinguish between drying and dehydrating agent.

Answer 1

	Drying agent	Dehydrating agent
1.	They remove moisture from other substances.	They remove chemically combined elements of water in the ratio of 2:1 from a compound.
2.	They are used to dry gases like chlorine and sulphur dioxide and in desiccators to keep substances dry.	They prepare substances like carbon monoxide, sugar charcoal etc.
3.	They represent physical change.	They represent chemical change.
4.	Examples: Fused calcium chloride CaCl2, Phosphorus pentoxide P2O5.	Examples: Cone. sulphuric acid H2SO4.