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Fizzies instant sparkling drink tablets, popular in the 1950s and 1960s, are now back on the market. When placed in water, these tablets bubble and fizz, forming an instant carbonated beverage. The fizzing is caused by released bubbles of carbon dioxide (C02) gas, which are formed as a result of a chemical reaction between two of the tablet's ingredients, citric acid (H3C61-1507) and baking soda (NaHC0^sub 3^). The reaction is:
H^sub 3^C^sub 6^H^sub 5^0^sub 7^(aq) + 3NaHC0^sub 3^(aq) -> Na^sub 3^C^sub 6^H^sub 5^0^sub 7^(aq) + 3H^sub 2^0(symbol omitted) + 3C02(g)
In this Activity, students create their own Fizzle-style carbonated beverage. They find that using too much baking soda or too much citric acid ruins the taste. In the final steps, they use stoichiometry to calculate the correct mix of these two ingredients. An extended article on Fizzies is available (1).
Integrating the Activity Into Your Curriculum
This activity can be used as an introduction to stoichiometry. It vividly illustrates to students why stoichiometry is important. It can be used for a general or advanced high school course, or an introductory college course. It can also serve as a concluding...