View Slide Thumbnails

2.7 MB, 42 seconds File: MOVIES/MISC/KETENE.MOV

Voiceover
A piece of copper is heated. When the glowing copper is placed in a beaker containing acetone vapor, color changes take place on its surface. The hot copper surface catalyzes the endothermic decomposition of acetone to ketene and methane. The exothermic combustion of the decomposition products provides the energy to continually heat the copper.

Discussion
CH₃COCH₃ --> CH₂=C=O + CH₄