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Lab Reportt

The objective of this lab was to measure the reaction between Alka-Seltzer and water and determine the mass of gas produced. The student hypothesized that approximately 10% of the Alka-Seltzer tablet's mass would be lost as gas. Two crushed Alka-Seltzer tablets were reacted with water in a flask, producing carbon dioxide gas that inflated a balloon. The student measured the balloon's circumference before and after filling it with water to determine the gas volume. Calculations using the ideal gas law found 0.572g, or 12%, of the tablet's mass was lost as carbon dioxide gas, closely matching the student's prediction.

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Angela Balanjian
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88 views

Lab Reportt

The objective of this lab was to measure the reaction between Alka-Seltzer and water and determine the mass of gas produced. The student hypothesized that approximately 10% of the Alka-Seltzer tablet's mass would be lost as gas. Two crushed Alka-Seltzer tablets were reacted with water in a flask, producing carbon dioxide gas that inflated a balloon. The student measured the balloon's circumference before and after filling it with water to determine the gas volume. Calculations using the ideal gas law found 0.572g, or 12%, of the tablet's mass was lost as carbon dioxide gas, closely matching the student's prediction.

Uploaded by

Angela Balanjian
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Objective

The objective for this lab is to measure the reaction between Alka
Seltzer and water and to determine the mass of the gas produced.
Hypothesis
Approximately what percent of the mass do you think will be lost in gas
when an Alka Seltzer tablet is placed in water? -10%
Introduction
In this lab, two crushed up alka seltzer tablets reacted with water to
produce Carbon Dioxide. When Alka Seltzer reacts with water, CO2 gas
is produced when the carbonate ion in the Lablet reacts with citric acid
(HCO3 + H —> H2O + CO2).To show this reaction, a balloon that
contained the crushed up alka seltzer was placed on top of a large
Laboratory flask that contained water. When the alka seltzer was
dropped into the water, a reaction was created that produced carbon
dioxide. This carbon dioxide rose and ultimately inflated the balloon.
After the reaction occurred, the circumference of the balloon must be
measured and filled it with water until it reached the same circumference
we measured with carbon dioxide. We then used this water volume to
calculate the amount of carbon dioxide in the balloon using the ideal gas
law.
Materials
Alka Seltzer tablet, 9-inch round balloon, large Laboratory flask, string,
meter stick, graduated cylinder, barometer, thermometer.
Procedure
The required materials were selected and taken to the workstation. First,
the balloon must be filled with the powder, while the laboratory flask
filled with water in room temperature to the very top. Then, the balloon
must be placed carefully on the top of the test tube and straighten the
balloon to release the powder. When Alka seltzer reacts, and the fizzing
stops, the circumference of the balloon must be measured and filled it
with water until it reached the same circumference we measured with
carbon dioxide. We then used this water volume to calculate the amount
of carbon dioxide in the balloon using the ideal gas law.
Data

1. Mass of Alka Seltzer powder: 3241 mg

2. Circumference of balloon: 27cm

3. Volume of water that fits in balloon (in ml):322ml 4. Room
temperature (°C): 21°C Kelvin: 294.5k 5. Barometric pressure (in
atmospheres): 101.3kpa
liters:0.322

Results
1. The balloon contains both CO 2 gas and water vapor, so you must
correct for this. Subtract the pressure that water vapor exerts at the
temperature of the

experiment from the total pressure of the balloon. This will give you the

pressure of the CO 2 only.
101.3 kpa
2. You now have all the values you need to solve for “n” in the ideal gas
equation (PV = nRT). The value for R is 0.0821 liter-atm/mole K.

PV=nRT

101.3x 0.322= n(8.31) (294.5)
n=0.013
3. The gas is CO 2 . Using your value for “n” and the molar mass of CO
2 , solve for the mass of CO 2 in the balloon.

n=0.013 44.01 g/mol of CO2

g of CO2= (n) (moler mass) = 0.572g
4. Use the answer above and your initial mass of the powder to find the
percent of mass lost by the Alka Seltzer.

3241mg= 3.241g (mass of the powder) 0.572g(CO2)
12%
Discussion
1. How close was your prediction?
It was very close my prediction was 10% and real one was 12%
2. Discuss several areas in the lab where experimental errors could
occur.
Human errors could be occurred in the lab. For example, one
possible error could have been during the process of transferring
water from the balloon to the graduated cylinder in order to find its
volume. This process of transfer resulted in water being splashed all
over the lab table.
3. Pick one error that you mentioned above and discuss if that would
make your

value for “n” too high or too low.

If the room temperature was lower than we had anticipated, then
the number of moles would have also been smaller compared to our
final results.
4. Filling the balloon with water may be one place where error could
occur. Using your value for the circumference in cm, calculate the
volume of your balloon mathematically. c = 2 X pi X r and volume of a
sphere is 4/3 X pi X r 3
C=(2pi)x r 27cm= (2pi) x r r = 4.297cm
4/3 x pi x r3 4/3pi (4.297)3
=332.34ml
5. Compare this to the value that you got by filling it with water. Is it
close? Which

do you feel is more accurate? Explain.

The answer that I got is very close to the volume obtained by filling
the balloon with water. The answer of the volume obtained by the
calculations would have been more accurate because there is less
room for error involving mathematics.
Advanced Questions:
6. CO 2 is highly soluble (easily dissolved) in water. The solubility
around room

temperature is about 90 ml/ 100 ml of water. What effect does this have
on

your value for “n”?

The fact that CO2 is water soluble may have decreased our n value,
since some of the CO2 may have dissolved in the water and so was
not measured in the balloon. This is why our actual results were
smaller than the theoretical yield.
Conclusion
Overall, this lab was fairly successful but we clearly had some errors
during the procedure. We were still able to complete it with relative ease
and the calculations were quite simple. The biggest challenge would
have probably been trying to measure the amount of water that could fit
in the balloon when it was the same size after the reaction.

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