Collecting the Carbon Dioxide Gas Produced by Reacting Baking Soda and Vinegar [CB1]
T.J. Warringer and Hoa Pham
English 102, 101
Clemson University
March 27, 1999
Abstract
Everybody knows that a gas is produced when you put vinegar and baking soda together. The gas that is produced in this reaction is carbon dioxide and the amount that is produced depends on the amount of vinegar and baking soda being used. Our task is to design an apparatus that can determine the amount of gas produced when we vary the amounts of vinegar and baking soda. The apparatus we built consisted of an ignition tube, a container of water, a plastic tube, Sarah Wrap, and a beaker (a picture is provided in the Methods and Materials Section). The baking soda and the vinegar are placed together in the beaker where the reaction takes place. The beaker is sealed using the Sarah Wrap and a tube comes out of the beaker into the ignition tube, which is submerged in water. When the reaction occurs, air bubbles from the reaction beaker displaces water in the ignition tube. The amount of water that is displaced is the amount of gas produced. Using the data collected (amount of gas produced versus the amount of vinegar and baking soda in the used for the reaction), we plotted a graph using Rayleigh’s Method to make a dimensional analysis. With the dimensional analysis, we can then predict the amount of gas produced when given an amount of baking soda and vinegar.
Introduction
When one mixes baking soda with vinegar, there is much fizzing and bubbling. We constructed a device that would effectively allow the measurement of the volume of gas released from this reaction. After building the mechanism, we conducted experiments for a wide variety of amounts of baking soda and vinegar. Then we plotted this information in two graphs: vinegar vs. volume and baking soda vs. volume. We performed a dimensional analysis of the problem and plotted that result as well. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of different quantities of baking soda and vinegar on the volume of the gas produced[CB2]. The significance of this experiment is to gain knowledge on how to solve problems.
Methods and Materials
A tube, commonly called an ignition tube[CB3], approximately 9 inches long and inch in diameter marked in 5 ml intervals and full of water was inverted in a container, which was also full of water. One end of a narrow tube was fed into the ignition tube, while the other end was punched through Saran Wrap and secured with masking tape to insure that none of the gas would escape[CB4]. The plastic wrap, tube included, was used to cover the reaction container, a beaker. Thus, this is the appearance of the apparatus at the beginning of the experiment.
Once an amount of baking soda was placed in the reaction container, the Saran Wrap was positioned so that minimal gas would escape when the vinegar was added[CB5]. A measured quantity of vinegar was then added to the baking soda, the plastic bag was sealed around it, and the surface of the bag was pushed down so that all the gas reacted would travel up the tube into the ignition tube. Because gas is lighter than water, the water was pushed out of the ignition tube and was replaced by gas. The volume of reacted gas could then be measured using the 5-ml intervals on the ignition tube. See the attached sheet for a visual representation of the device[CB6].
Results
After testing different amounts of vinegar and baking soda for the different effects of gas volume, the information collected is presented in the following tables and graphs. Every table represented a controlled amount of baking soda reacting with varying vinegar[CB7]. The amounts of vinegar were based on using small manageable amounts that would easily be measured in the tube. The graphs illustrated the correlation between the two variables tested (baking soda and vinegar) and how they affected the volume.
The data presented in the following table shows the data collected from testing 1.25 mL of baking soda with each of the different volumes of vinegar and measuring the amount of gas produced[CB8]. The volumes of vinegar used ranged from 5 to 20 mL, and the volume of carbon dioxide gas ranged from 32 to 60 cm3. The table shows that the volume increased as the vinegar increased.
Table 1: Test Results for 1.25 mL of Baking Soda
Vinegar (mL) / Volume (cm3) of Gas5 / 32
10 / 41
15 / 50
20 / 60
The data presented in Table 2 shows the data collected from testing 2.50 mL of baking soda with each of the different volumes of vinegar and measuring the amount of gas produced[CB9]. The volumes of vinegar used ranges from 5 to 20 mL, and the volume of carbon dioxide gas ranged from 35 to 65 cm3. The table shows that the volume increased as the vinegar increased.
Table 2: Test Results for 2.50 mL of Baking Soda
Vinegar (mL) / Volume (cm3) of Gas5 / 35
10 / 45
15 / 55
20 / 65
The data presented in the following table shows the data collected from testing 3.75 mL of baking soda with each of the different volumes of vinegar and measuring the amount of gas produced[CB10]. The volumes of vinegar used ranged from 5 to 12 mL, and the volume of carbon dioxide gas ranged from 50 to 65 cm3. Smaller volumes of vinegar are used because of the limitations on the ignition tube and the large amount of baking soda used. The table shows that the volume increased as the vinegar increased.
Table 3: Test Results for 3.75 mL of Baking Soda
Vinegar (mL) / Volume (cm^3) of Gas5 / 50
7 / 55
10 / 61
12 / 65
The material illustrated in the following graph shows the data in Tables 1, 2, and 3 and the relationship between vinegar and the volume. The information displayed in the legend is the amount of baking soda used[CB11]. The graph shows the range of volumes of vinegar from 5 to 20 mL. The volume of carbon dioxide collected ranged from 30 to 65 cm3. The different colored or shaped dots represent different measurements of baking soda. The graph shows that in each of the different baking soda groups that the increase in vinegar produced an increase in the volume of gas collected.
The data displayed in the following graph shows the relationship between the baking soda and the volume. The information presented in the legend is the amount of vinegar used[CB12]. The following graph displays the volume of the gas ranged from 30 to 65 cm3. The values of baking soda ranged from 1.25 to 3.75 mL as shown on the x-axis. The different colored and shaped dots represent the different volumes of vinegar used. The graph shows the relationship of that the baking soda and the volume of gas collected
has.
The analytical technique of Rayleigh’s Method was used on the data to determine a dimensionless data set. This dimensionless data set was plotted to determine the precise nature of the relationship between addition of reactants and formation of products.
Rayleigh’s Method:
Note: V = Vinegar, B = Baking Soda
The material presented in the following graph is the plot of the dimensionless parameters derived from Raleigh’s Method. Volume of vinegar divided by volume of baking soda and then multiplied by mass of soda divided by mass of vinegar is shown on the abscissa, and volume of gas divided by volume of vinegar is displayed on the ordinate. A trend line is also added to the graph, and its equation and R2 value are displayed below the legend.
Discussion
After collecting data for the reaction between baking soda and vinegar, it was concluded that there is a direct relationship between the volume of gas produced and the volume of baking soda and vinegar added[CB13]. The more baking soda and vinegar you used in the reaction, the more gas you will produce. We did not determine the exact ratio of baking soda and vinegar to use in order to produce the maximum amount of gas due to the fact that we do not have good enough tools. As previously stated, an analysis of the results will be conducted in the future as to determine precisely what the relationship is. The procedure used was sound, but introduced a large possibility of experimental error. The measurements made had very low precision and therefore may contribute to large discrepancies in the results or an inaccurate relationship determination. If this experiment were to be conducted again, more precise measuring devices would be used in conjunction with a better method of postponing the reaction until the top of the container was secured. In any case, the experiment did produce results that were within expectations in that a direct relationship between the amount of reactants used and gas produced was apparent.
[CB1]1Kind of a vague title
[CB2]1And why should you want to do this? What is the potential significance of this experiment?
[CB3]1What is an ignition tube?
[CB4]1Why did you do this? You didn't set up the construction of the apparatus first.
[CB5]1This is getting hard to visualize. Reword for clarity.
[CB6]1Good Graphic. It helps a lot, altho the plastic wrap part is not clear. Work on the text some more.
[CB7]1How did you decide on amounts to vary?
[CB8]1NO! You must describe exactly what your graph shows.
[CB9]1NO! You must describe exactly what your graph shows.
[CB10]1NO! You must describe exactly what your graph shows.
[CB11]1You are still not telling us what the graphs show. This is not acceptable.
[CB12]1Summarize the data!
[CB13]1AND WHAT IS THAT RELATIONSHIP??!!