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Which antacid tablet is the most effective in neutralising acid in the…
Which antacid tablet is the most effective in neutralising acid in the stomach?
Options for investigation
Experiment 1: First, put a known amount of HCl into the beaker and measure its pH value. Since antacid tablet is composed of base, we can put the different several antacid tablet(independent variable) into a known amount of HCl acid(controlled variable) for an amount of time, and then use a ph indicator/litmus paper to test the pH value of the solution. The solution which ended up with the pH value closest to a neutral pH value (dependent variable)would be the antacid tablet that is most effective in neutralising acid. We can also calculate the difference in pH value of the initial HCl and the neutralised solution to test for the antacid tablet's effectiveness in reducing acidity.
Experiment 2: Put the three different kinds of antacid tablets into three beakers. Use a dropper to put HCl into the individual beakers until the solution reaches the pH value of 7 using an universal indicator. We have to measure the pH value consistently during the experiment. We can then measure how many drops of HCl is required to reach neutralisation with the antacid tablet. The antacid tablet which could neutralise the most amount of HCl can be considered the most effective.
How effectiveness can be measured? How to collect data?
"Effectiveness" can be determined by the reaction that results in the pH value closest to 7.
The dependent variable
of the experiment is the pH value closest to 7 after a period of 5 minutes. Data could be collected through utilising a pH meter to test for the pH values of the solutions, then recorded in a table to summarise the findings.
To test the pH value, the options available are universal indicator, litmus paper and pH meter. pH meter would be more preferable in testing our dependent variable since it provides us the exact pH value, and therefore has a higher accuracy of results.
Controlled variable:
The same molarity and pH value of HCl. This is to ensure the accuracy of the experiment, and that the experiment is taken under the same circumstances.
Same amount of HCl.
The same amount of antacid tablets
Same temperature when the reaction occurred. The normal temperature in the human stomach is 37.6 degrees (celsius)
Same concentration of the active ingredients in antacid tablets
Same time limit for the experiment (5 minutes)
100cm^3 beakers x3
2.pH meter
pestle ad mortar
stirring rod
spetacles
lab apron
stopwatch
therometer
Independent variable:
The only independent variable is the 3 different formulations of the antacid tablets
Factors that affect effectiveness
Chemical composition of the antacid tablets
: Antacid tablet's neutralising capacity can be impacted by its chemical composition. Antacids composed of stronger bases can be more effective in raising the pH value compared to weaker bases. Different compositions can also affect the reaction of speed and the duration of action, which is dependent in the properties of the active ingredients in the antacid.
Concentration of active ingredients in antacids
: Greater concentration of the base in antacids provides more available molecules for neutralisation, thus accelerating the neutralisation process.
The ratio of HCl to antacid tablet
The ratio has to be reasonable and should replicate the ratio of HCl in stomach to the amount of antacid tablets taken for more accurate results, extreme ratios would result in inaccuracy in the experiment.
Temperature: Can temperature affect neutralisation process?
: Temperature could certainly affect the neutralisation process. Increase in temperature could potentially accelerate the rate of reaction. When reactant particles are heated, movements of the particles become faster and more frequent, resulting in greater collision frequency.Therefore, if we raise the temperature of the reactants, then the rate of neutralisation will increase. Therefore, all reactants for the experiment must be held constant to maintain fair testing conditions.
Real life applications
Limitations: pH balance vary among individuals. Some antacid tablets are stronger than the others, which means they contain active ingredients which are more alkaline and could be stronger in reducing acidity. However, in real life applications, stomach acidity might vary between people and situations.
To exemplify this, if a person has a very strong stomach acid of pH value 1, then they would need a stronger antacid tablet to fully neutralise the stomach acidity, then this antacid tablet would be considered "the most effective" in this circumstance. Therefore, " most effective antacid tablet" is dependent and could vary based on two factors: Factor 1:The amount of acid in the stomach Factor 2: 2.The pH value of the acid
Molarity of HCl
: How can this affect the effectiveness of neutralising acid?: Molarity is a measurement of a solution's concentration, which is defined as the no. of moles of a solute per litre of solution. HCl with a higher molarity indicates a higher concentration and a lower pH value of the HCl. Antacids that are composed of bases with higher alkalinity might be more effective in neutralising HCl with high concentration.
Factors when considering "Most effective"
pH value:
The antacid tablet which neutralizes the HCl closest to the pH value 7 in an average ratio of HCl to antacid tablet which best replicates the human stomach.
"most effective"≠ "best in reducing acidity"
?
We recognises that "The most effective antacid tablet in neutralising stomach acid" does not mean the antacid tablet that is the best in reducing acidity. Reducing acidity and neutralising acidity is different, there is potential for the antacid tablet to cause the stomach to reach higher than a pH level of 7 after consuming. Therefore the “Most effective” antacid tablet can be defined as: The antacid tablet which neutralizes the HCl closest to the pH value of 7 in an average ratio of HCl to antacid tablet which best replicates the human stomach.
Differeciate between neutralising acid and reducing acid:
Neutralisation occurs when an acid reacts with a base to form salt and water, balancing the acidic and basic properties in this reaction, resulting in a pH value of 7.
Reducing acidity is decreasing the concentration without nesscarily reaching a neutral state of the substance.
Ratio of amount of HCl in stomach to the amount of antacid tablets consumed:
The average ratio of HCl in the human stomach to the amount of antacid tablets taken has to be taken into consideration when considering the amount of HCl and amount of antacid tablets tested because the experiment is a replication of an individual consuming antacid tablets to neutralize stomach acid, therefore the ratio would be important in determining the accuracy of the results. The average ratio ensures that the results could be applicable to most people, which enhances the credibility of the results.
The average amount of HCl present in human stomach is approximately 20-100 ml, and the average dosage of antacid tablet is 1.3 g.
What is an antacid?
A medicine used to neutralise/counteract the stomach acidity.
The purpose of antacid is to relieve and treat symptoms of heartburn, indigestion, and also to treat nausea and bloating caused by excessive stomach acidity.
Which acid is in the stomach?
The stomach acid, also known as the gastric acid, is composed of potassium chloride, sodium chloride and the active ingredient(main ingredient that causes the desired effect) is hydrochloric acid. (HCl)
The pH scale is ranged from 0-14, stomach acid has a pH between 1 and 2
Physical properties:
-->In aqueous form (watery) and colorless
Chemical composition of antacid
There are various types of antacid in the market, but they all uses a base to achieve the neutralisation outcome, for example: sodium bicarbonate magnesium hydroxide and aluminium hydroxide
Most commercial antacids works by neutralising the strong acid by a weak base. These weak bases are commonly hydroxides, carbonates and bicarbonates. Most commercial antacids uses various salts of calcium, magnesium and aluminium as their active ingredient.
The generalised reaction between antacid and stomach acid is described as: Acid+Base-->Salt+ Water
Example reactions: Aluminium hydroxide+Hydrochloric acid--> Aluminium chloride+acid
Chemical composition: Some antacids are stronger and more efficient in reducing stomach acidity than the others due to its chemical composition. For example, Calcium Carbonate (CACO3)is one of the strongest antacid tablet as it is a relatively strong base, which means it is more effective in neutralising stomach acid.
Proposed chemical composition of the antacid tablet:
Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)
Calcium carbonate is a strong basic salt of calcium, therefore it should be effective in reducing the HCl in gastric secretions, thus being effective in neutralising stomach acid. However, there may be a potential for this formulation to cause excessive alkaline due to its strong alkaline composition.
Magenisum hdroxide (MgOH2)