H2 2 SO4 4 C2 2 H5 5 OH → C2 2 H4 4 1700 0 C The reaction above illustrates

This reaction illustrates dehydration. In chemistry, dehydration refers to the process of removing water (H₂O) from a compound. Let's break down the given reaction to understand this better.

The provided chemical equation is:

C₂H₅OH → C₂H₄ + H₂O

This equation indicates that ethanol (C₂H₅OH) is being transformed into ethylene (C₂H₄) with the production of water (H₂O).

The process involves the breaking of bonds in ethanol and the removal of a water molecule, as follows:

• The ethanol molecule, C₂H₅OH, has the –OH group, which combines with a hydrogen atom from the rest of the molecule to form H₂O (water).
• This results in the formation of C₂H₄ (ethylene), a smaller molecule, and the water molecule is removed.

This reaction is typically carried out under certain conditions, in this case at a high temperature of 1700°C, to facilitate the dehydration process.

Therefore, this is indeed a dehydration reaction as it involves converting ethanol into ethylene by removing water.