Running Head: ALKA-SELTZER SCIENCE INQUIRY

Alka-Seltzer Science Inquiry

Melinda Dwyer, Jacob Luellen, Courtney Purtee, Sandra Fischl
Ivy Tech Community College

Round 1
Question: What happens when you put Alka-Seltzer tablet into water?
Claim: When the Alka-Seltzer tablet is dropped into the water it will produce a gas.
Material:

250 ml flask
100 ml graduated cylinder
Alka-Seltzer Antacid Packets
Balloons
Scale
Thermometer
Measuring tape

ALKA-SELTZER SCIENCE INQUIRY

Tap water
Stopwatch

Procedures:
1. Measure 50ml of room temperature tap water using the graduated cylinder.
2. Take the temperature of the water in the graduated cylinder (the temperature of the water
3.
4.
5.
6.

was 74.5 degrees Fahrenheit).

Pour the 50ml of water (74.5 degrees Fahrenheit) into the flask.
Open the Alka-Seltzer package.
Remove one Alka-Seltzer tablet.
Score the Alka-Seltzer tablet in half by using something sharp. We used the tip of our

thermometer.
7. At the scored mark break the Alka-Seltzer tablet in half.
8. Zero the scale to ensure an accurate reading.
9. Weigh out 1.5 grams of Alka-Seltzer. We had to add and remove Alka-Seltzer to get
exactly 1.5 grams.
10. Put the 1.5 grams of Alka-Seltzer into a balloon.
11. With a flat hard object place pressure on the outside of the balloon to crush the AlkaSeltzer tablet into a powder. Be careful not to puncture the balloon.
12. Carefully place and secure the opening of the balloon with the crushed Alka-Seltzer on
the flask without spilling the powder.
13. One person hold the stopwatch and prepare to start the stopwatch in the next step, step
14.
14. One person tip the balloon vertically to release the powder into the water and the person
holding the stopwatch starts the stopwatch as soon as the contents are released into the
water.
15. Thoroughly mix the contents by inverting the liquid in the flask into the balloon and
invert again so the liquid returns to the flask for the remainder of the reaction.
16. Record observations every minute for 5 minutes.
17. After 5 minutes stop the stopwatch.
18. Carefully remove the balloon from the flask making sure to pinch the opening of the
balloon shut tight until step 21.
19. Measure and record the temperature of the remaining liquid in the flask.

ALKA-SELTZER SCIENCE INQUIRY

20. With one person still pinching the balloon closed, measure and record the circumference
(in centimeters) of the balloon at its widest point.
21. Release the gas from the balloon.
22. Rinse the balloon out 3 times with tap water.
23. Rinse the flask out 3 times with tap water.
24. Repeat procedures 1-23 two more times for a total of three trials.
Evidence
Trial #1
Temperature of

Time

Observations

Temperature of

Circumference

water prior to

water after the

of balloon

reaction (in F)

reaction (in F)

after reaction

74.5

1 minute

Balloon inflates

(in cm)
~

~
~
~
~

2 minutes
3 minutes
4 minutes
5 minutes

immediately
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated

~
~
~
77.5

~
~
~
17

Temperature of

Time

Observations

Temperature of

Circumference

water prior to

water after the

of balloon

reaction (in F)

reaction (in F)

after reaction

Trial #2

74.5

1 minute

Balloon inflates

(in cm)
~

~
~
~
~

2 minutes
3 minutes
4 minutes
5 minutes

immediately
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated

~
~
~
75.6

~
~
~
18

ALKA-SELTZER SCIENCE INQUIRY

Trial #3

Temperature of

Temperature of

Circumference

water prior to

water after the

of balloon

reaction (in F)

reaction (in F)

after reaction

74.5
~
~
~
~

Time

Observations

1 minute

Balloon inflates

(in cm)
~

2 minutes
3 minutes
4 minutes
5 minutes

immediately
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated

~
~
~
75.0

~
~
~
17.5

Conclusion:
Our claim was supported, the 1.5 grams of Alka-Seltzer produced a gas and inflated the balloon.
Research:
This was a very interesting round one of science inquiry with Alka-Seltzer and balloons.
I have never seen or done these experiment before. I was unaware of the active ingredients in
Alka-Seltzer or what actually happens when it is placed in water. I have refused to use AlkaSeltzer because of the taste, but my husband and others use it regularly for heartburn. When
taking it for heartburn I have seen it bubble in water. But that is the extent of my prior
knowledge of Alka-Seltzer.
While doing the first round of science inquiry I noticed the bubbles again when the
Alka-Seltzer mixes with water. When it was bubbling the balloon inflated. This is evidence
that the mixture created a gas. What is the active ingredients in Alka-Seltzer that makes it
bubble and produce the gas? I have found on the Alka-Seltzer official website that Alka-Seltzer
has 1000 mg of Anhydrous citric acid and 1940 mg Sodium bicarbonate. I found out on that
Sodium Bicarbonate is otherwise known as baking soda and is NaHCO3 (Oxford Dictionaries
online). I also found a lot of information about Sodium Bicarbonate on the website

ALKA-SELTZER SCIENCE INQUIRY

everydayhealth.com. It confirmed that sodium bicarbonate is most commonly used to calm

upset stomach caused by irritation from acid reflux. It also said that sodium bicarbonate
belongs to a class of drugs called antacids (http://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/sodiumbicarbonate). I also looked up Anhydrous citric acid. I found out that Anhydrous citric acid has
the chemical name Citric Acid and has the appearance of an odorless, colorless, white powder.
(http://www.livestrong.com/article/187949-what-is-anhydrous-citric-acid/) According to the
Oxford dictionary online the chemical formula is C6H8O7
(http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/citric-acid?q=citric+acid).
During the experiment and after my research I found out that the gas produced from the mixture
of Alka-Seltzer and water was carbon dioxide. All three trials showed a gas was produced
because the circumference of the balloon changed and grew in size. I also observed small
bubbles in the mixture. I will discuss this further during the research in round #2.
Round 2
Question: What happens when you put Picot brand of Sodium Bicarbonate & Citric Acid into
water?
Claim: It will produce more gas than the Alka-Seltzer brand.
Material

250ml flask
100ml graduated cylinder
Notebook paper
Scissors
Picot brand of Sodium Bicarbonate & Citric Acid
Balloons
Scale
Thermometer
Measuring tape
Water
Stopwatch

ALKA-SELTZER SCIENCE INQUIRY

Procedures
1. Measure 50ml of room temperature tap water using the graduated cylinder.
2. Take the temperature of the water in the graduated cylinder (the temperature of the
water was 74.5 degrees Fahrenheit).
3. Pour the 50ml of water (74.5 degrees Fahrenheit) into the flask.
4. Open the Picot package.
5. Cut a piece of notebook paper into an approximate 4x6 in rectangle of paper and
place it on the scale.
6. Zero the scale with the paper on the scale to ensure an accurate reading for the next
steps.
7. Measure 1.5 grams of Picot powder.
8. Take the piece of notebook paper and the 1.5 grams of Picot powder off the scale.
9. Have a person fold the paper with the Picot powder in half to make it easy to pour
the contents out in the next step few steps.
10. Have someone stretch the opening of the balloon.
11. The person with the folded paper and Picot powder gently and slowly pour the
powder into the balloon.
12. Weigh the balloon containing the powder (ours was still 3.3 grams).
13. Carefully place and secure the opening of the balloon with the Picot powder on the
flask without spilling the powder.
14. One person hold the stopwatch and prepare to start the stopwatch in the next step,
step 15.
15. One person tip the balloon vertically to release the powder into the water and the
person holding the stopwatch starts the stopwatch as soon as the contents are
released into the water.
16. Thoroughly mix the contents by inverting the liquid in the flask into the balloon and
invert again so the liquid returns to the flask for the remainder of the reaction.
17. Record observations every minute for 5 minutes.
18. After 5 minutes stop the stopwatch.
19. Carefully remove the balloon from the flask making sure to pinch the opening of the
balloon shut tight until step 21.
20. Measure and record the temperature of the remaining liquid in the flask.

ALKA-SELTZER SCIENCE INQUIRY

21. With one person still pinching the balloon closed, measure and record the
circumference (in centimeters) of the balloon at its widest point.
22. Release the gas from the balloon.
23. Rinse the balloon out 3 times with tap water.
24. Rinse the flask out 3 times with tap water.
25. Repeat procedures 1-24 two more times for a total of three trials.
Evidence
Trial #1
Temperature of

Time

Observations

Temperature of

Circumference

water prior to

water after the

of balloon

reaction (in F)

reaction (in F)

after reaction

74.5

1 minute

Balloon inflates

(in cm)
~

~
~
~
~

2 minutes
3 minutes
4 minutes
5 minutes

immediately
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated

~
~
~
75.4

~
~
~
17.5

Temperature of

Time

Observations

Temperature of

Circumference

water prior to

water after the

of balloon

reaction (in F)

reaction (in F)

after reaction

Trial #2

74.5

1 minute

Balloon inflates

(in cm)
~

~
~
~
~

2 minutes
3 minutes
4 minutes
5 minutes

immediately
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated

~
~
~
75.4

~
~
~
16.5

ALKA-SELTZER SCIENCE INQUIRY

Trial #3

Temperature of

Temperature of

Circumference

water prior to

water after the

of balloon

reaction (in F)

reaction (in F)

after reaction

74.5
~
~
~
~

Time

Observations

1 minute

Balloon inflates

(in cm)
~

2 minutes
3 minutes
4 minutes
5 minutes

immediately
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated

~
~
~
77.4

~
~
~
17.0

Conclusion:
Our claim was not supported, the 1.5 grams of Picot did not produce more gas than the AlkaSeltzer.
Research:
We documented the amount of gas produced in the balloon by recording the
circumference during the Alka-Seltzer science inquiry round #1 and the Picot science inquiry
round #2. Within our data the chemical reaction of the Alka-Seltzer created the circumference
of the balloon at 17 in, 18 in, and 17.5 in. Which is an average of 17.5 in circumference for the
gas produced by the Alka-Seltzer. During the chemical reaction of the Picot powder the
circumference of the balloon was 17.5 in, 16.5 in, and 17 in. Which is an average of 17 in
circumference for the gas produced by the Picot powder. The average circumference created by
the gas from the 1.5 grams of Alka-Seltzer was greater than the average circumference created
by the gas from the 1.5 grams of Picot powder. This is why we concluded that the Picot powder
did not create more gas.
The chemistry behind the gas/ carbon dioxide is when the active ingredients in the AlkaSeltzer meets the water there is a chemical reaction that occurs. When the two materials come

ALKA-SELTZER SCIENCE INQUIRY

in contact they react to make carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is gas bubbles found in the air we
breathe and what we exhale. When a gas is trapped it can make things expand like in the
balloon. The equation for this chemical reaction is C6H8O7 (Citric Acid)+NaHCO3 (Sodium
Bicarbonate)+H2O(Water) produces H2O (Water)+CO2 (Carbon Dioxide)+C6H5Na3O7
(Sodium Citrate) (American Chemical Society, 2009).
According to the website drugs.com Picot has the active ingredients sodium bicarbonate
of 2.485g and citric acid of1.948g (http://www.drugs.com/otc/102536/picot-pluseffervescent.html). According to the Alka-Seltzer pdf the Alka-Seltzer has 1940 mg of Sodium
bicarbonate and 1000 mg of citric acid (http://labeling.bayercare.com/omr/online/alka-seltzerheartburn.pdf). I believe the ingredients in the Picot and Alka-Seltzer are very similar but the
increased amount in the Picot has decreased the carbon dioxide gas slightly.
Round 3
Question: What happens when you change the temperature of the water and put the Picot
powder into the water?
Claim: It will produce more gas.
Material

250 ml flask
100 ml graduated cylinder
200 ml beaker
Notebook paper
Scissors
Picot brand of Sodium Bicarbonate & Citric Acid
Balloons
Scale
Thermometer
Measuring tape
Tongs
Hot Water (128 degrees Fahrenheit)
Stopwatch

ALKA-SELTZER SCIENCE INQUIRY

Procedures
1. Measure 50mL of hot tap water with the graduated cylinder
2. Measure the temperature of the hot tap water inside the graduated cylinder (our hot
water temperature was 128.0 Fahrenheit)
3. Pour the hot water (128.0 F) from the graduated cylinder into the 250mL flask
4. Open the package of Picot
5. Cut a piece of notebook paper into a 4x6in rectangle and place it on the scale
6. Zero the scale to negate the weight of the notebook paper.
7. With the scale at zero measure out 1.5 grams of Picot
8. Take the notebook paper with 1.5 grams of Picot off the scale
9. Fold the paper with the Picot in half (makes it easier to pour the Picot powder)
10. Have someone stretch the opening of the balloon
11. The person with the Picot now pours the Picot powder into the stretched open
balloon
12. Weigh the balloon containing the powder (ours was still 3.3grams)
13. Now take the balloon with the Picot inside and secure the opening of the balloon to
the flask containing the 50mL of hot water, being careful not to spill any Picot
powder into the water
14. Now prepare two people: one with the stopwatch and one person to tip the contents
of the balloon
15. Person one tips the balloon releasing the Picot powder into the water
16. Person two starts the stopwatch as soon as person one dumps the contents of the
balloon into the water
17. Thoroughly mix the contents by inverting the liquid in the flask into the balloon and
invert again so the liquid returns to the flask for the remainder of the reaction
18. Record observations about the reaction every minute for 5 minutes
19. After 5 minutes has elapsed stop the stopwatch and carefully remove the balloon
from the flask making sure to pinch the balloon shut tight.
20. Measure the temperature of the mixture remaining in the 250mL flask and record the
data
21. With one person still pinching the balloon closed, measure the circumference of the
balloon at its widest point in centimeters (cm) and record the data
22. Release the gas from the balloon towards the ground
23. Wash out the balloon 3 times with tap water
24. Rinse the flask out 3 times with tap water

ALKA-SELTZER SCIENCE INQUIRY

25. Repeat procedures 2-25 two times for a total of three trials.
Evidence
Trial #1
Temperature of

Temperature of

Circumference

water prior to

water after the

of balloon

reaction (in F)

reaction (in F)

after reaction

(in cm)
~

128.0

Time

1 minute

Observations

Balloon inflates
rapidly and

~
~
~
~

2 minutes
3 minutes
4 minutes
5 minutes

immediately
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated

~
~
~
78.8

~
~
~
16

Temperature of

Time

Observations

Temperature of

Circumference

water prior to

water after the

of balloon

reaction (in F)

reaction (in F)

after reaction

(in cm)
~

~
~
~
122.5

~
~
~
17

Trial #2

128.4

1 minute

Balloon inflates
rapidly and

~
~
~
~
Trial #3

2 minutes
3 minutes
4 minutes
5 minutes

immediately
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated

ALKA-SELTZER SCIENCE INQUIRY

Temperature of

Temperature of

Circumference

water prior to

water after the

of balloon

reaction (in F)

reaction (in F)

after reaction

(in cm)
~

~
~
~
123.5

~
~
~
16.5

128.2

Time

1 minute

Observations

Balloon inflates
rapidly and

~
~
~
~

2 minutes
3 minutes
4 minutes
5 minutes

immediately
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated (same)
Stays inflated

Conclusion:
Our claim was not supported the hot water (128 degrees Fahrenheit) and 1.5 grams of Picot
powder did not produced more gas than the room temperature water (74.5 degrees Fahrenheit).
Research:
Our group predicted that the hotter water would produce more gas, we were wrong. Our
claim was not supported, but the experiment revealed that the chemical reaction produced a
significant temperature change. The temperature of the water decreased. Also, when Dr. Wylie
filled a balloon with water and the Picot or Alka-Seltzer powder there was a decrease in
temperature. I can conclude that this is an endothermic reaction due to my research. When
endothermic reactions absorb energy, a temperature drop is measured during the reaction
(Helmenstine, 2016).
Completing this science inquiry about Alka-Seltzer changed my schema on the product.
I now know so much more about the active ingredients in Alka-Seltzer and Picot. I also now
know that carbon dioxide is created by mixing citric acid, sodium bicarbonate, and water
together. I also just found out what an endothermic and exothermic process is. Mostly I have
learned the importance of creating and writing a science inquiry or experiment paper like this.

ALKA-SELTZER SCIENCE INQUIRY

References
Alka-Seltzer PDF. Retrieved from http://labeling.bayercare.com/omr/online/alka-seltzerheartburn.pdf
Bell, Ronald Percy. Acidbase Reaction, Chemistry. In Encyclopdia Britannica online.
Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/science/acid-base-reaction
Education Division Staff WHATS NEW, CO2? Get to Know a Chemical Reaction.
American Chemical Society, 2009 Retrieved from
http://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/education/outreach/kidschemistry/chemic
al-reaction-kids-and-chemistry-kit-teacher-guide.pdf
Helmenstine, Anne Marie Ph.D. Updated February 03, 2016. Retrieved from
http://chemistry.about.com/cs/generalchemistry/a/aa051903a.htm
Oxford Dictionaries online. Retrieved from
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/citric-acid?
q=citric+acid
Oxford Dictionaries online. Retrieved from
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/sodiumbicarbonate?q=sodium+bicarbonate
Picot Plus Effervescent (Bristol-Myers Squibb de Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V.) Retrieved from
http://www.drugs.com/otc/102536/picot-plus-effervescent.html
Wiley, Frieda PharmD and Jasmer, Robert MD. (2014-12-16). What Is Sodium Bicarbonate?
Retrieved from http://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/sodium-bicarbonate