Question

Suggest a method to prepare pure carbon using sulphuric acid and an organic compound.

Answer 1

Pure carbon (sugar charcoal) can be prepared by exploiting the powerful dehydrating property of concentrated sulphuric acid on cane sugar (sucrose).

Process: When concentrated H₂SO₄ is added to cane sugar, it violently removes water elements (hydrogen and oxygen), leaving behind a black, spongy mass of pure carbon.

Chemical Equation:

\[\ce{C12H22O11 ->[Conc. H2SO4] 12C (Sugar charcol) + 11H2O}\]