Ellen Campbell

Steve Smith
Chemistry
18 April 2015
Abstract
The purpose of this lab was to use our knowledge of stoichiometric relationships
and our understanding of limiting reactants to conduct multiple experiments and
calculations that would allow us to ascertain the mass of sodium bicarbonate in
an Alka-Seltzer tablet. The main question of this experiment was, is the amount
of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), citric acid (C6H8O7), and aspirin (C9H8O4), in an
effervescent tablet equivalent to the amount of these ingredients listed on the
packaging of the tablet. To determine the amounts of these ingredients we had to
ask ourselves what the molar mass was of each of them. The question, what was
the limiting reactant in this lab and would it change throughout the experiment
was also an aspect of this lab. We found the true amount of sodium bicarbonate
in an effervescent tablet by doing 8 trials where a tablet was dissolved in a
mixture of vinegar and water. Many measurements were done before and after
the reaction to establish the mass of the solutions; calculations were also done to
find the amount of sodium bicarbonate in the tablet. From this lab the final results
show that the amount of sodium bicarbonate listed on the packaging of the AlkaSeltzer tablet is proportionate to the amount of sodium bicarbonate found in the
experiment, meaning the packaging is true to its word.
Results
Table 1: Measured and Calculated Data for Percent of Composition of NaHCO3 in
Effervescent Tablet Lab

Volume (ml)
Trial

Vinega
r

Wate
r

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35

35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

Mass (g)
Beaker
with
Liquid

Effervesce
nt Tablet

48.36
49.19
49.99
49.70
49.81
49.53
48.51
47.82

3.29
3.17
3.24
3.26
3.26
3.26
3.26
3.25

Beaker with
all
Substances
postreaction
51.01
51.65
52.40
52.05
52.08
51.79
50.78
50.03

Loss
of
Mass/
Mass
of CO2
0.64
0.71
0.83
0.91
0.99
1.00
0.99
1.04

NaHCO3
Reacted
Mass
% of
(g)
Tablet
Mass

Class Average
NaHCO3 Reacted
Mass % of Tablet
(g)
Mass

1.22
1.35
1.58
1.74
1.89
1.99
1.89
1.99

1.27
1.62
1.69
1.65
1.92
1.92
1.98
1.98

37.00%
42.65%
48.76%
53.37%
57.97%
61.04%
57.97%
61.23%

39%
50%
52%
51%
59%
59%
61%
61%

Mass of Sodium Bicarbonate in Alka-Seltzer Tablet as Function of Volume of Vinegar Added

Ellen's Group Data

Class Average

Figure 1: Mass of Sodium Bicarbonate in Alka-Seltzer Tablet as Function of Volume of

Vinegar Added

Table 1 shows the data that was collected and calculated from the lab. In Table 1 the trial
number, volume of vinegar and water can be found, as well as the mass of the beaker
with the liquid, the effervescent tablet, and the beaker with all substances post-reaction.
The loss of CO2 mass, the mass of NaHCO3 and the percent of tablet mass was
calculated after the lab using the collected data. The last two columns of Table 1 show
the collected and calculated class average of the mass of NaHCO3 and the percent of
tablet mass. Figure 1 shows a scatter plot of the class data and my groups data for the
mass of NaHCO3 that reacted with the given amount of vinegar. The red line with the
squares shows the class average data for the mass of NaHCO3, while the blue line with
the diamonds shows my groups data for the mass of NaHCO3. The x-axis is the volume
of vinegar used in each trial and the y-axis is the mass that reacted in grams over the
course of the trials. Both the class average data and my groups data flat line at about
the same amount of vinegar, meaning that there is about 0.9g of sodium bicarbonate in
an effervescent tablet. In Figure 1 both lines share a similar trend, with a small
fluctuation at about 5ml of vinegar, where the class average data calculated 1.62 grams
of NaHCO3 and my groups data showed 1.35 grams of NaHCO3.
(1) A sample calculation for mass of CO2 lost during reaction:
(Mass of beaker with just liquid + mass of Alka-Seltzer tablet) Beaker with all solutions
post reaction = loss of mass
Data from trial 5: (49.81 + 3.26) 52.08 = 0.99g CO2

(2) A sample calculation for mass of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) that reacted:
Data from trial 5:

0.99 g CO 2 1 mol CO2

1 mol HCO 3 1mol NaHCO 3 84 g NaHCO 3

=1.89 g NaHCO3
1
44.01 g CO 2 1 mol CO2
1 mol HCO 3
1 mol NaHCO 3

(3) A sample calculation for % of effervescent tablet mass that reacted:

(Mass of NaHCO3/mass of effervescent tablet)= percentage of tablet mass in decimal
form x 100 = % of tablet mass
Data from trial 5:

1.89 g NaHCO3
=0.5797 100=576.97 of tablet Mas s
3.26 g