Why is my water-to-wine reaction slow?

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In summary: The first time someone tried this, they used a biodegradable starch. However, the Walmart version doesn't have a biodegradable ingredient, so it might be chemically different.
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Brad12d3
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OK, so I saw a video of someone doing the water to wine trick and just had to learn it. There are apparently a few different ways that this can be done,...but settled on this version: http://imaginationstationtoledo.org/content/2010/11/water-to-wine/

It's absolutely great, but for some reason when I do it, the change isn't nearly instantaneous. I followed the directions exactly but for some reason it takes several seconds for mine to change. I am curious as to why mine would act differently... I wondered if it had to do with the laundry starch I got. It mentions "biodegradable ingredient".. so I wonder if there is something chemically different about it than other starches?

Here's what I used the first time and then I went and picked up some other laundry starch at walmart that was concentrated. It still doesn't happen instantly though.

http://i61.tinypic.com/2psm539.jpg
 
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Brad12d3 said:
It's absolutely great, but for some reason when I do it, the change isn't nearly instantaneous. I followed the directions exactly but for some reason it takes several seconds for mine to change.
From one's description, it sounds like what is supposed to be a rapid transition is progressing more slowly. Some either the Vitamin C is being used up slowly, or the conversion of iodine is occurring slowly. I appears that there are two solutions in separate beakers initially. Perhaps one should stir the separate beakers first.
In Reaction # 1 iodide ions react with hydrogen peroxide to produce iodine element which is blue in the presence of starch. BUT, before that can actually happen, the Vitamin C quickly reacts and consumes the elemental iodine.

The net result, at least for part of the time is that the solution remains colorless with excess of iodide ions being present. Now after a short time as the reactions keep proceeding in this fashion, the Vitamin C gets gradually used up. Once the Vitamin C is used up, the solution turns blue, because now the iodine element and starch are present.
Considering what reactions take place, it could be either the Vitamin C or starch. What are the ingredients/additives in the starch.
 

1. Why does the water-to-wine reaction take so long to occur?

The rate of a chemical reaction depends on several factors, including the concentration of reactants, temperature, and presence of catalysts. The water-to-wine reaction involves the conversion of water (H2O) into wine (C6H12O6). This process involves breaking and forming chemical bonds, which takes time. Additionally, the concentration of water may be much higher than that of wine, leading to a slower reaction rate.

2. How does temperature affect the speed of the water-to-wine reaction?

Temperature plays a crucial role in the rate of a chemical reaction. As the temperature increases, the kinetic energy of the molecules also increases, leading to more frequent and energetic collisions between reactant molecules. This results in a faster reaction rate. Therefore, a higher temperature would speed up the water-to-wine reaction.

3. Can the water-to-wine reaction be accelerated?

Yes, the reaction can be accelerated by increasing the concentration of the reactants, increasing the temperature, or adding a catalyst. A catalyst is a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to occur. In the case of water-to-wine, enzymes present in yeast act as catalysts to speed up the conversion of water into wine.

4. Is the water-to-wine reaction reversible?

Yes, the water-to-wine reaction is reversible, meaning under certain conditions, wine can be converted back into water. This is possible by changing the reaction conditions, such as decreasing the temperature, reducing the concentration of reactants, or adding another reactant that can react with the wine to form water.

5. Why is the water-to-wine reaction considered a chemical change?

A chemical change involves the breaking and forming of chemical bonds, resulting in a new substance with different properties. In the water-to-wine reaction, the chemical bonds between the atoms in water are broken, and new bonds are formed between the atoms in wine, resulting in a distinct substance with different physical and chemical properties. This makes it a chemical change.

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