Oceanic Absorption

In this activity, you will conduct an experiment to learn about the method of oceanic absorption for carbon sequestration.

Materials you’ll need

Each group will need to take a container of vinegar and baking soda, 1 metal spoon, 2 flasks containing rubber tubing and plastic straws, 2 beakers, 1 syringe, paper towels, scale, sea salt, and safety glasses.

We’ll start by making a CO2 generator. Place enough baking soda in the flask to cover the bottom. Then secure the rubber stopper

containing the smaller plastic tube and set that aside.

Pour 150 mL of phenol red in the flask. Place the rubber stopper with the long plastic tube securely on the flask. Make sure the straw that is

delivering the CO2 is submerged near the bottom of this flask.

Pour about 50 mL of vinegar into a beaker.

Fill the syringe from the beaker containing vinegar. Place the end of the syringe inside the short rubber tubing that is connected to the flask

containing the baking soda. Slowly add 2 mL of vinegar to the baking soda. Let the gas bubble through the testing solution. When the gas

production has stopped, add another 2 mL of vinegar.

Repeat this procedure until the phenol red turns yellow. Record the amount of vinegar you added to the solution on the chart.

When you are done recording the amount of vinegar you added to the phenol red, pour the solution from the flask (phenol red that turned

yellow) into the waste container. Rinse out the flask with water.

Now you’ll repeat the same experiment, except this time measure and pour 5 grams of sea salt into the 250 mL flask containing the 150 mL of

phenol red. Continue to add CO2 into the phenol red until the color matches the phenol red in the waste container. Record the amount of

vinegar you used on the chart.

Record data on chart and answer the questions.

Fresh water Salt water

Amount of vinegar added to solution

Observations

When you have finished with this activity, clean up your materials and put them away.