What is the function of H2SO4 in the following reaction? C12 H22O11 conc. H24 12C + 11H2O
Answer Details
The function of H2SO4 in the given reaction is that of a dehydrating agent. The concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is used in this reaction to remove the water (H2O) molecule from the reactant molecule C12H22O11 (sucrose). The removal of a water molecule from a molecule is known as dehydration. Therefore, in this reaction, H2SO4 acts as a dehydrating agent, which removes water from the reactant molecule and helps to form carbon (C) and water (H2O) as products.