Ask A Scientist Chemistry Archive

name         Seema C.
status       educator
age          30s

Question -   I have read conflicting ideas about whether or not icing sugar will 
dissolve faster in water than caster sugar. What is your take and explanation for this?
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Seema,

Caster (or castor) sugar is nothing more than super-fine sugar. The rate at which sugar 
dissolves depends on the purity of the sugar, the initial sugar concentration of the 
solution (not important in the event that you're attempting to dissolve the sugar in 
pure water), the size of the sugar granules, the temperature of the water, and how 
vigorously the solution is stirred. All other factors equal, the finer the granules, 
the faster they will dissolve.

Regards,
ProfHoff 693
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