Stomach Acid & Antacid
Apparatus needed:
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Hydrochloric acid (HCl) solution (0.1M to safely simulate stomach acid)
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pH meter or pH indicator strips
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Various antacid tablets (different types such as calcium carbonate-based, magnesium hydroxide-based, etc.)
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Distilled water
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Mortar and pestle
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3-4 beakers (100 mL)
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Stirring rods
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Measuring spoons or graduated pipettes
Experiment date: 12/2/24
Written by: Jion Seong
Step 1
Pour 50 mL of 0.1M HCl solution into a beaker and use the pH meter to measure and record the initial pH of the HCl solution.
Step 2
Using a mortar and pestle, crush one antacid tablet into a fine powder for each type, and mix the powder with a small amount of distilled water (100mL) to make a paste.
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Power antacid (Eno) → 5 grams dissolved in 500 mL of distilled water
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Tablet antacid (Digene) → 1 tablet dissolved in 150 mL of distilled water.
Step 3
Slowly add the crushed antacid paste to the acid solution, one spoonful at a time, stirring constantly.
After each addition, measure and record the pH until there’s a notable increase in pH.
Discussion
Hypothesis
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Null Hypothesis:
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There is no significant difference in the effectiveness of Eno and Digene in neutralizing hydrochloric acid.
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Alternative Hypothesis:
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There is a significant difference in the effectiveness of Eno and Digene in neutralizing hydrochloric acid.
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Objective
To simulate the neutralization process of stomach acid by antacids, exploring acid-base reactions, pH changes, and the effectiveness of different antacid brands in raising the pH of an acidic solution
Evaluation
An antacid is a basic substance that neutralizes stomach acid, commonly used to relieve symptoms of acid reflux, heartburn, or indigestion. Its action is based on an acid-base reaction, where the antacid (base) reacts with stomach acid (HCl) to form a neutral salt, water, and in some cases, carbon dioxide.
In the experiment, theoretically, the addition of an antacid to an HCl solution should increase the pH to approximately 7.
However, in both trials, the pH exhibited minimal change, remaining around 1. A potential explanation for this limited change could be the use of a measuring spoon that was too small, resulting in an insufficient quantity of antacid being added during each trial. Despite this limitation, a slight increase in pH was observed, indicating some neutralization occurred.
