When man feeds on sugar he splits it up by the aid of air into water and
carbon dioxide in this fashion:
C_{12}H_{22}O_{11} + 12O_{2} --> 11H_{2}O + 12CO_{2}
cane sugar oxygen water carbon dioxide
When sugar is burned the reaction is just the same.
But when the yeast plant feeds on sugar it carries the process only part
way and instead of water the product is alcohol, a very different thing,
so they say who have tried both as beverages. The yeast or fermentation
reaction is this:
C_{12}H_{22}O_{11} + H_{2}O --> 4C_{2}H_{6}O + 4CO_{2}
cane sugar water alcohol carbon dioxide
Alcohol then is the first product of the decomposition of sugar, a
dangerous half-way house. The twin product, carbon dioxide or carbonic
acid, is a gas of slightly sour taste which gives an attractive tang and
effervescence to the beer, wine, cider or champagne. That is to say, one
of these twins is a pestilential fellow and the other is decidedly
agreeable.
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