Sugar heated over a gas flame burning in air. Table sugar such as this is made of sucrose (formula C12H22O11). When heated, it first loses any residua

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Sugar heated over a gas flame burning in air. Table sugar such as this is made of sucrose (formula C12H22O11). When heated, it first loses any residual water from its structure, then at 186C decomposes to form caramel. With further heating it combusts, forming carbon dioxide and water. When mixed with an oxidiser such as potassium nitrate, sugar can be used as a fuel for amateur rocket propellants.

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Photo credit: © Science Photo Library / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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Keywords: blue, bunsen, burn, burner, burning, caramel, carbohydrate, carbon, combustible, combusting, combustion, crystal, crystalline, decomposition, dioxide, education, flame, fuel, gas, metal, methane, natural, school, science, spoon, sucrose, sugar, table, water, white, yellow