Coca-Cola Conundrum

By: Noah Gersh, Jacob Kennedy, Marijke

Pieters-Kwiers, and Jack Tarleton
The Project:

We were asked by Coca Cola to fulfill their order for 1,000,000 gallons of 85%
phosphoric acid. They would pay us $3.29/lb of phosphoric acid. We had to figure
out if we could complete their order and make a profit on it.
How Phosphoric Acid is made:

Reactions:

P4(Phosphorus)+ 5O2 (Oxygen) 2P2O5 (Phosphorous Pentoxide)

P2O5+ 3H2O (Water) 2H3PO4 (Phosphoric Acid)

Fun Fact: Did you know that phosphoric acid in soda

is actually more acidic than vinegar and lemon juice?
The large amount of sugar is put there to mask the
harsh acidic taste.
Transportation:

Amount of P4: 1715.01 Mt

1,000,000gal(.85)(14.05lb/1gal)(454g/1lb)(1 mol H3PO4/98g)(1 mol P2O5/2 mol

H3PO4)(1 mol P4/2 mol P2O5)(124g P4/1 mol P4)(1 Mt/1,000,000g) = 1715.01 Mt P4

Number of Rail Cars: 35

1715.01Mt / 50Mt/Car 35 Cars

Production Time:

Two plants at 2 and 3 gpm = 5 gpm

Need to create: 1,000,000 gallons
About 4.3 months + 2 months transportation
Roughly 6.3 months total
Cans Made:

We would end up creating a total of 15,491,128,571 cans.

1,000,000gal(.85)(14.05lb/1gal)(454g/1lb)(1000mg/g) = 5.421895x1012 mg

5.421895x1012 mg / 350mg/can = 15491128571.4 cans

x 15 billion

Why 85% Phosphoric Acid?
Fun Fact: When phosphoric acid powder is
inhaled or comes in contact with skin and other
body tissue it can cause dermatitis, pain, tearing,
blurred vision, difficulty swallowing and breathing,
and gastrointestinal problems.

Coca-Cola requires 85% because its at the perfect level to be tangy, but not too
corrosive to hurt you.
Profit:

Gross Income: 11,942,500 lbs H3PO4 x $3.29 = $39,290,825

Cost: 3,708,928 lbs P4 x $2.05 = $7,750,902.40

Net Income: $39,290,825 - $7,750,902.40 = $31,539,922.60

Accept or Decline?

Yes, we will accept this offer because the amount of money it would produce
would greatly benefit our science department at San Marin High School.
We love to drink Coca Cola!