Science Experiment : Suffocation

Humans and animals need oxygen to survive while plants basically need carbon dioxide to manufacture food through photosynthesis.  It has been reported that excessive amounts of carbon dioxide gas is emitted into our atmosphere which could lead to serious problems to our environment.  What will happen if there are not enough plants to use up most of the carbon dioxide gas emitted?

What Do I Need?

·         350 ml (or smaller) plastic bottle (2)

·         Panadol Soluble®

·         Water

·         Balloon

What Do I Do?

1.    Drop two Panadol Soluble ® tablets into the bottle with 50 ml of water.

2.    Quickly cover the mouth of the bottle with a balloon.

3.    Transfer the gas collected in the balloon into another bottle by releasing the gas into it.

4.    Turn the bottle over & place a lighted matchstick into the bottle.  Observe what happens.

Questions:

·         Will we suffocate if there is too much carbon dioxide gas in the air?

·         Why did we turn the bottle over?

·       During the chemical reaction, how did the lower part of the bottle feel - hot or cold?  Why?

What’s Going On?

1. The tablets reacted vigorously with water and eventually disappeared.  During the reaction, the balloon inflated slowly and the bottle felt cold.

2.  Endothermic reactions absorb heat energy. Because of this, the surroundings lose heat to the reaction and the bottle felt cold.

3.  When a lighted matchstick was inserted into the overturned bottle, the flame was slowly extinguished.

4.  Panadol Soluble® contains both citric acid (C₆H₈O₇) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃). When the tablets were dropped into water, the acid and the baking soda react, producing the famous fizz.

5. The fizz is carbon dioxide gas – it does not support combustion, hence the flame was extinguished.