Midterm Paper

Running head: MIDTERM PAPER 1

Midterm Paper

Ashley Jordan

Ivy Tech Community College

MIDTERM PAPER 2

Round 1

Question: What will happen if we put half of an effervescent antacid tablet into a granulated

cylinder that has water in it?

Claim: Half of an effervescent tablet will create bubbles in a granulated cylinder that has water in

it.

Materials: three halves of effervescent tablets, one 12in happy birthday balloon, one 100 mL

granulated cylinder, water, scale, key, thermometer, tap measure, marker

Procedure:

1. Gather all needed materials. Plug in the scale to an outlet, making sure it is in grams.

2. Cut half of an effervescent tablet in half using a key (down the middle). Measure the

weight of half of the tablet on the scale.

3. Record the weight of half of the effervescent tablet into a table.

4. Put half of a tablet into the happy birthday balloon.

5. Crush the tablet inside of the balloon with your hand, fingers or the granulated cylinder

(The tablet should be crushed finely).

6. Fill the 100 mL granulated cylinder with 30 mL of tap water.

7. Record the initial temperature of the water, in Fahrenheit, that is in the cylinder with the

thermometer. (Make sure that the thermometer does not touch the glass of the cylinder or

the bottom).

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8. Measure 1 cm down, using the tape measure, from the top of the granulated cylinder.

Using a marker put a line at 1 cm down on the cylinder.

9. Stretch the end of the balloon around the granulated cylinder, down to the 1 cm mark on

the cylinder. Make sure that it is secured onto the cylinder. (The end of the balloon should

be down at the 1cm mark all around the cylinder).

10. Hold the balloon parallel (upright) to the center of the cylinder. Empty all of the

effervescent into the water.

11. Observe the reaction of the effervescent and water for 30 seconds.

12. Record observations (whether there were bubbles). Have one person write these down.

13. Remove the balloon from the cylinder, flip balloon inside out and clean with water if

needed. Have another person do this step.

14. Record the new temperature of water after the observation of the effervescent and water.

Dump out water/effervescent mixture and rinse out the granulated cylinder with water

three times (all of the mixture should be gone). Have the last person in the group do this

step.

15. Repeat steps 2-14 two more times.

Evidence/Observations:

Once the effervescent was in the water it started to bubble and fizz. The bubbles and fizz

were white in color. White foam was left over after 30 seconds. The balloon filled up with

gas and inflated it. All of this occurred in all three trials. The temperature decreased from the

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initial temperature after the reaction took place for each trial. The temperature decreased

from 0.2-2.3°F after the reactions.

Data Table:

Different trials Initial

temperature of

water

Final

temperature of

water

Tablet weight Bubbles

occurred during

reaction

Trial 1 77.0°F 76.8°F 1.4 grams Yes



Research:

According to Effervescent Tablet Dissolving in Water, effervescent tablets are comprised

of citric acid, aspirin, and a heat treated sodium bicarbonate. Apparently the aspirin that is in the

effervescent tablets does not have an effect on the water and effervescent mixture. The bubbles

are created because the reaction taking place between the effervescent tablet and the water are a

chemical reaction. The bubbles are therefore carbon dioxide because the sodium bicarbonate

breaks down into the gas carbon dioxide. So, the balloon fills up with the gas carbon dioxide due

to the chemical reaction that is taking place in the granulated cylinder. The process that is

occurring between the water and the effervescent tablet is called effervescence. The article states

that bubbles will continue to form until the entire tablet is dissolved and there is not anymore

sodium bicarbonate and citric acid (Scolbrock, Kana, Hansford, Manhart, & Campbell, 2011).

According to Effervescence- What is it?, effervescence is the bubbles or fizz that is created when

the chemical reaction takes place in the water or in someone’s stomach (Effervescence – What is

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it?, 2012). Effervescence talks about effervescent tablets being antacids which are medicine that

counteracts the acid that is produce after eating certain acid filled foods. Therefore, antacids are

called bases which are substances that weaken or neutralize the acid in one’ stomach. This article

also backs up the fact that sodium bicarbonate, citric acid, aspirin, and carbon dioxide are all part

of the experiments we conducted. It refers to the bubbles being produced because carbon dioxide

is broke down from the sodium bicarbonate (McAuliffe, 2014). The decrease in temperature was

noted in the evidence above and there is an explanation as to why the final temperature was less

than the initial temperature of the water. According to Science Buddies, the bicarbonate and

hydrogen ions have to come in contact with each other as they are breaking the effervescent

tablet down into simpler elements. If the temperature of the water is high than the molecules of

the bicarbonate and hydrogen will move faster; if the water temperature is low than the

molecules will move slowly (Science Buddies, 2013).

Conclusion:

Our claim was supported, because half of the effervescent tablet created bubbles when

put into the cylinder of water. After conducting all three trials, we observed that bubbles were

created for every trial. The reason why the bubbles were created was because carbon dioxide was

created during the chemical reaction (Scolbrock, Kana, Hansford, Manhart, & Campbell, 2011).

Our claim is also supported by the article Effervescence because it states that the sodium

bicarbonate and citric acid have to stop breaking down in order for the bubbles to stop forming

(McAuliffe, 2014). Another reason why our claim is supported, is due to the fact the

effervescence is the actual bubbles or fizz that is seen when the chemical reaction takes place

between effervescent tablets and water (Effervescence – What is it?, 2012).

Round 2

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Question: How does the reaction rate change when we increase the initial temperature of the

water?

Claim: The reaction rate will be short (under 20 seconds) for each trial.

Materials: three halves of effervescent tablets, one unused 12in happy birthday balloon, one 100

mL granulated cylinder, water, scale, key, thermometer, tap measure, marker, stopwatch

Procedure:


2. Cut half of an effervescent tablet in half using a key (down the middle). Measure the

weight of half of the tablet on the scale.

3. Record the weight of half of the effervescent tablet into a table.

4. Put half of a tablet into the happy birthday balloon



6. Measure 1 cm down, using the tape measure, from the top of the granulated cylinder. Using a

marker put a line at 1 cm down on the cylinder.

7. Fill the 100 mL granulated cylinder with 30 mL of tap water. For this round the group is

having a baseline temperature and two more temperatures that will be higher than the original.

The temperature range is 105.5°F- 107.5°F for the water. The water is going to have to run

longer so that it can heat up to the set temperature range.

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thermometer. (Make sure that the thermometer does not touch the glass of the cylinder or the

bottom). The second and third trial temperatures should be between 105.5°F and 107.5°F.

9. Stretch the end of the balloon around the granulated cylinder, down to the 1 cm mark on the

cylinder. Make sure that it is secured onto the cylinder. (The end of the balloon should be down

at the 1cm mark all around the cylinder).

10. Hold the balloon parallel (upright) to the center of the cylinder. Empty all of the effervescent

into the water.

11. As soon as the effervescent is put into the water someone in the group should start the

stopwatch. So, the time starts when the crushed effervescent touches the water and stops when

the foaming has finished. The group has to determine the reaction rate for the tablet to start

dissolving and stop dissolving in the water.

12. The person keeping track of the reaction time stops the stopwatch when the foam the water/

effervescent mixture has stopped foaming. (No more bubbles or foam is moving)

13. Record observations, have one person write these down.

14. Remove the balloon from the cylinder, flip balloon inside out and clean with water if needed.

Have another person do this step.


Dump out water/effervescent mixture and rinse out the granulated cylinder with water three

times (all of the mixture should be gone). Have the last person in the group do this step.


MIDTERM PAPER 8

Evidence/ Observations:

Just as in the first round of inquiry, the reaction between water and effervescent tablets

caused bubbling and fizzing. When we record the actual reaction times I was surprised to see the

short amount of time it took for the reaction to start and stop. When the final temperature was

taken after the reaction for each trial I was not surprised that the temperature decreased greatly.

The temperature actually decreased from around 5-10°F when we warmed up the water. After the

bubbling and fizzing stopped white foam was left in the granulated cylinder. There is a four

seconds difference in the reaction times. The balloon still filled up with gas but it looked as if it

inflated more than the previous trials done in round one.

Data Table:

Different Trials Initial

Temperature

Final

Temperature

Tablet Weight Reaction time

Trial 1 105.9°F 98.7°F 1.3 grams 12 seconds



Research:

According to the article Chemical Reaction Rates, an increase in temperature can speed

up the reaction rate of a chemical reaction. Since, the temperature is increased the chemical

reaction will occur faster than say if normal temperature water is used. This increase in the initial

temperature of the water speeds up the chemical reaction between the effervescent tablet and the

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water. Meaning that since the water’s temperature was hot to begin with; the reaction rate of the

chemical reaction will be short or occur quickly (Chemical Reaction Rates, 2014).

Conclusion:

Our claim, that the reaction time will be short (under 20 seconds) for each trial, was

supported. Based on the collected data the reaction times for the trials were 10, 12, and 14

seconds which is less than the twenty seconds that we had set for the reaction time. The

Chemical Reaction Rates article also supports our idea that with an increase in water temperature

there will be a short chemical reaction rate from the effervescent tablet and the water (Chemical

Reaction Rates, 2014). Science Buddies also supports the idea that with a hot temperature of

water there will be a short reaction time (Science Buddies, 2013).

Round 3

Question: What will happen to the reaction rate when the amount of effervescent is changed to

one full tablet?

Claim: The reaction time will increase or last longer when the amount of tablet is increased to

one full tablet.

Materials: three full effervescent tablets, one unused 12in happy birthday balloon, one 250 mL

granulated cylinder, water, scale, thermometer, tap measure, marker, stopwatch

Procedure:


2. Put one whole effervescent tablet onto the scale.

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3. Record the weight of one full effervescent tablet into a table.

4. Put a whole effervescent tablet into the happy birthday balloon



6. Fill the 250 mL granulated cylinder with 100 mL of tap water.


thermometer. (Make sure that the thermometer does not touch the glass of the cylinder or the

bottom).

8. Measure 1 cm down, using the tape measure, from the top of the granulated cylinder. Using a

marker put a line at 1 cm down on the cylinder.

9. Stretch the end of the balloon around the granulated cylinder, down to the 1 cm mark on the

cylinder. Make sure that it is secured onto the cylinder. (The end of the balloon should be down

at the 1cm mark all around the cylinder).

10. Hold the balloon parallel (upright) to the center of the cylinder. Empty all of the effervescent

into the water.

11. As soon as the effervescent is put into the water someone in the group should start the

stopwatch. So, the time starts when the crushed effervescent touches the water and stops when

the foaming has finished. The group has to determine the reaction rate for the tablet to start

dissolving and stop dissolving in the water.

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12. The person keeping track of the reaction time stops the stopwatch when the foam the water/

effervescent mixture has stopped foaming. (No more bubbles or foam is moving)

13. Record observations, have one person write these down.

14. Remove the balloon from the cylinder, flip balloon inside out and clean with water if needed.

Have another person do this step.


Dump out water/effervescent mixture and rinse out the granulated cylinder with water three

times (all of the mixture should be gone). Have the last person in the group do this step.


17. Since, this is the last round of inquiry all balloons need to be thrown away. The tables or lab

stations need to be wiped down with wet paper towels. . All cylinders or used materials need to

be rinsed out with water and dried out with paper towels. All of the supplies should be put back

in the original areas they were taken from.

Evidence/ Observations:

The amount of bubbling and fizzing seemed to be quite a bit more than with just the half

tablet of effervescent. The reaction times for these trials were quite a bit longer than I expected

them to be. There was a thirteen second difference between all of the trial’s reaction times. The

final temperature still was less than the initial temperature for all of the trials. The temperature

range for these trials was greater than the temperature range for the first round of inquiry; the

range was 2.6-8°F. We could say that based on the information the amount of tablet that was put

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into the water does affect the final temperatures. The balloon really inflated for all three of these

trials probably because more gas was being produced due to the increased amount of tablet used.

Data Table:

Different Trials Initial

Temperature

Final

Temperature

Tablet Weight Reaction Time




Research:

According to the article, Speeding up the Fizz, the data they collected showed that when a whole

effervescent tablet was used for the reaction it took the longest compared to a broken and

crumbled tablet. The surface area apparently has a major effect on how quickly the chemical

reaction will take place (Speeding up the Fizz, 2014). Another source, Bubbling Tablets,

suggests that with an increase in surface area the quicker a chemical reaction will take place for

the effervescent tablets and water mixture. Since, one whole tablet does not have that much

surface area than it is safe to say that it will have a long reaction time (Bubbling Tablets, 2014)

Conclusion:

Our claim was supported because the reaction rate increased with an increase in tablet

size. The data table for this round of inquiry suggests that the reaction rate range from 39-52

seconds which compared to the previous round of inquiry, that had a reaction rate range from 10-

14 seconds, is extremely more than expected. In the previous round of inquiry only half of a

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tablet was used and crushed while in this round twice of much effervescent was used. Bubbling

Tablets states that as the surface area is increased the reaction rate decreased. Even though the

crushed whole tablet has more surface area it took longer for it to dissolve because there was

twice as much tablet that was being used (Bubbling Tablets, 2014). Speeding up the Fizz also

supports are claim because it suggests that when they used a whole effervescent tablet it too, took

a long amount of time to completely dissolve. The reaction time in their experiment was close to

one of the reaction times we got (Speeding up the Fizz, 2014).

Resources

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Bubbling Tablets. (2014). Retrieved 03 29, 2014, from http://teachers.stanford.edu:

http://teachers.stanford.edu/activities/BubblingTablets/BubblingTablets-

TeacherGuide.pdf

Chemical Reaction Rates. (2014). Retrieved 03 29, 2014, from chemicool.com:

http://www.chemicool.com/chemistry/chemical-reaction-rates/

Effervescence – What is it? (2012). Retrieved 03 29, 2014, from alkaseltzer.com:

http://www.alkaseltzer.com/as/effervescence.html

McAuliffe, C. (2014). Effervescence. Retrieved 03 29, 2014, from challenger.org:

http://www.challenger.org/blog/christaslessons/effervescence/

Science Buddies. (2013, 04 29). Carbonation Countdown: The Effect of Temperature on

Reaction Time. Retrieved 03 29, 2014, from scientificamerican.com:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-carbonation-time/

Scolbrock, A., Kana, G., Hansford, J., Manhart, K., & Campbell, M. (2011, 04 29). Effervescent

Tablet Dissolving in Water. Retrieved 03 29, 2014, from colorado.edu:

http://www.colorado.edu/MCEN/flowvis/galleries/2011/Team-

3/Reports/Scholbrock_Andrew.pdf

Speeding up the Fizz. (2014). Retrieved 03 29, 2014, from http://education.nacse.org:

http://education.nacse.org/Curriculum/downloadables/fizz_teach.pdf

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Midterm Paper