Question: The hydrolysis of the sugar sucrose to the sugars glucose and fructose follows a first-order rate equation for the disappearance of sucrose.
C12 H22 O11(aq) + H2O(l)โถC6 H12 O6 (aq) + C6 H12 O6 (aq)
Rate = k[C12H22O11]
In neutral solution, k = 2.1 ร 10โ11/s at 27 ยฐC. (As indicated by the rate constant, this is a very slow reaction. In the human body, the rate of this reaction is sped up by a type of catalyst called an enzyme.) (Note: That is not a mistake in the equationโthe products of the reaction, glucose and fructose, have the same molecular formulas, C6H12O6, but differ in the arrangement of the atoms in their molecules). The equilibrium constant for the reaction is 1.36 ร 105 at 27 ยฐC. What are the concentrations of glucose, fructose, and sucrose after a 0.150 M aqueous solution of sucrose has reached equilibrium? Remember that the activity of a solvent (the effective concentration) is 1.