Measurium Project: Gas Released from a Reaction
Jonathon Garrik
Matthew Hayes, mshayes@clemson.edu
Ben Healy
Sabrina Lewis
Jonathan Blanton, jmblant@clemson.edu (not in the engineering group)
Clemson University
March 12, 1999
Abstract
The problem at hand is to find the amount of gas released by a reaction of baking soda
and vinegar. An introduction of the problem is discussed along with the results of the
experiment used to find the answer to the given problem. The design and setup of the
experiment process is also talked about. Graphs will help interpret the results and data
found. The known amount of gas released by a reaction is helpful when attempting
chemistry problems or in a situation where it is important to know how much CO2 is
given off by the addition of baking soda to vinegar. While finding the amount of gas
released a device was developed not only for this one reaction but can also be used for
other reactions that have a gaseous product. A ratio was found and a device was
constructed that is able to make accurate measures of gas released.
Introduction
In chemistry some reactions produce gas as a product or gas is released in some manner.
One such reaction is the mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Vinegar mixed with baking
soda will cause bubbling and frothing which indicates gas being released from the
reaction. The gas released from the reaction is in some unknown amount. Knowing the
amount of gas released by reaction may be pertinent in several situations in which some
people come across. Such a need would be to fill a balloon up with the gas given off by
the reaction between baking soda and vinegar. The amount of gas is necessary to fill the
balloon to its needed volume. A device must be created in order to measure the amount
of gas that is being given off. The device should measure the volume of gas in and give a
reasonable set of data from previous experiments. If the data is in accordance with itself
then it can be assumed that the device functions properly. Previous experiments
performed in early childhood showed several different ways of carrying out the
experiment. Some of those experimental apparatus’ were filling a balloon with air and
measuring the volume of it, or allowing the reaction to take place in a container with a
top that when the pressure of the gas builds up the top flies a certain height. From that
height an equation was developed to give the amount of gas released. That known
information helped develop the apparatus and method used in the experiment yet to be
described. If measured correctly the results can be set up into a ratio for any that desire
to do continuing research in this particular field.
Methods/Materials
Apparatus for Measurium Project:
Water bottle with water
Funnel
Straw
Orange Cup
The object of study was the amount of gas released by the reaction. In order to
measure the volume of gas an apparatus was constructed (shown in the above diagram).
The materials used in the experiment were a bucket, two plastic bottles, straw, and water.
The materials were chosen based on immediate availability and cost efficiency. The
procedures chosen were based on what was thought to be the most efficient method with
the materials at hand. Filling the water bottle to the top with water started the
experiment. The cap was then placed on top to keep the water inside so it wouldn’t spill
when the bottle was inverted and placed in the bucket of water. Once the bottle was in the
bucket of water, the cap was removed, but the water stayed in the bottle because the
pressure in both systems was equal. Once the lid was removed, we were able to place the
straw from the orange cup into the mouth of the water bottle. A measured amount of
baking soda was placed into the cup and the lid was closed. A measured amount of
vinegar was then poured in through the funnel that was fitted into a hole that was cut on
the lid of the cup. When the vinegar was poured into the funnel and had gone completely
through the funnel, the hole was plugged temporarily with a sharpened pencil. When the
vinegar reached the bottom of the cup, it reacted with the baking soda and produced a
gas. The only outlet from the cup was the red straw, so the gas traveled through the straw
and into the water bottle pushing out enough water to make room for the gas that was
produced. A line was then marked on the outside of the water bottle to indicate how
much water was evacuated from the system. From this, we were able to fill the bottle up
to the line with water, measure the volume of water therefore measuring the volume of
gas that had been produced.
As with any project or experiment, there is going to be error. We tried to
compensate for loss of gas by taping the holes around the straw and the funnel in the lid
of the orange cup. But, even with the holes taped and the hole of the funnel plugged,
there was probably still some loss of gas. Another thing that could have caused some
error was the size of the cup in which we performed the reaction. The “orange cup” had a
pretty large area, probably a little less than two liters. Because of the large area a lot of
the gas produced probably stayed in the cup because there was no need for it to escape.
The area was large and the pressure in the cup was low, so we weren’t able to measure
the gas that stayed in the cup. The loss of gas in the experiment due to these two “errors”
was minimal and probably did not effect our results by a large degree.
Baking Soda and Vinegar Data
S, soda(mL)
20
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
8
4
4
0
V, vinegar(mL)
100
100
125
150
175
200
70
50
40
40
70
0
G, gas(mL)
425
650
750
1090
1730
1925
270
150
80
60
210
0
G/(V+S)
3.54167
5.90909
5.55556
6.8125
9.35135
9.16667
3.375
2.5
1.66667
1.36364
2.83784
0
SUMMARY OUTPUT
Regression Statistics
0.786882684
Multiple R
R Square
0.619184358
Adjusted R Square
0.581102794
Standard Error
4.028042506
Observations
12
Coefficients
Standard Error
t Stat
P-value
3.343939389
2.095837351 1.595515 0.14168132
1.620060919
0.401771148 4.032298 0.00239066
Intercept
X Variable 1
RESIDUAL
OUTPUT
Observation
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Predicted Y
9.081655144
12.91702664
12.34427783
14.3806044
18.49369825
18.19449781
8.811644991
7.394091687
6.044040921
5.553113369
7.941409565
Residuals
-4.081655144
-2.917026638
0.155722172
0.6193956
-0.993698254
1.805502186
-1.811644991
-2.394091687
-1.044040921
4.446886631
9.558590435
V/S
5
10
12.5
15
17.5
20
7
5
5
10
17.5
0
12
3.5
-3.343939389
Dimensionless Plot
25
20
V/S
15
10
5
0
0
2
4
6
8
10
G/(V+S)
Dimensional Plot
Gas Produced From 10mL of Baking Soda and Variable
Amounts of Vinegar
2000
gas produced, G (mL)
1750
1500
1250
1000
750
500
250
0
0
50
100
150
volume of vinegar, V (mL)
200
250
Results
The experiment provided the information needed to develop a ratio and with that
ratio a number of possible questions was answered. The graphs on the following pages
show the ratio between the amount of gas and the reactants of the solution. With the
information now provided a hypothetical question such as if you have x amount of
vinegar and y amount of baking soda how much gas will be formed from the potential
reaction? From the data found the conclusion is that the reaction depends more on the
amount of baking soda than the amount of vinegar. Without performing the experiment
any person with the information from this report will be able to give a reasonable
estimate of the volume of gas released by the reaction.