Devise simple, safe experiments to determine the component of ashes responsible for the catalysis. DoChem 052 Catalyzed Burning of Sucrose Watch the movies. Carbon along with bases such as potassium carbonate and potassium hydroxide are found in ashes from plants. Go to Top Teachers Guide Purpose To illustrate the effect of a catalyst on a chemical reaction. This can be used as a student research project.
Some texts imply that carbon in ashes acts as a catalyst.
Have your students devise an experiment to confirm this. If they cannot confirm this hypothesis, have them consider alternatives. Have them think of ways to test alternate hypotheses. The materials used in this experiment may be safely disposed of with ordinary solid waste. Carbon is suggested as a catalyst, even though carbon is visible on the sugar cube not burning catalytically.