1. July 2005, ChemEd Conference, UBC, Vancouver, Canada
Plop! Plop! Fizz! Fizz! Oh, the things chemistry teachers can do with AlkaSeltzer!
Patricia Mason, PAEMST 2003
Delphi Community High School
Judith Flint Baumwirt Granada Hills Charter High School
July 2005, ChemEd Conference, UBC, Vancouver, Canada

2. Experiments and Activities
Alka Seltzer Rainbow - ChemFax Demonstration (provided by Flinn Scientific)
Alka Seltzer Rockets
Buffering Ability of Alka Seltzer Tablets
Buffer Balancing Acts - ChemFax Demonstration (provided by Flinn Scientific)
Common Ion Effect on the Solubility of Alka Seltzer

3. Experiments and Activities
Change in pH and Temperature as a Reaction Occurs
Differentiating Liquids
Decomposition of Effervescent Tablets
Decomposition of Effervescent Tablets with Sample Data Analysis/Results
Density Challenge
Does a Gas Have Mass?

4. Experiments and Activities
Effect of Particle Size on Rate of Reaction Demonstration
Effect of pH on rate of reaction
Effect of Temperature on Rate of Reaction Demonstration
Rate of Reaction Lab - Combined Activities for Students
Equilibrium and Rate Determining Step demonstrations

5. Experiments and Activities
Micro Popper (provided by Flinn Scientific)
Quantitative Determination of Sodium Bicarbonate in Alka Seltzer
Second Quarter Laboratory Evaluation:  Analysis of Alka Seltzer (provided by Flinn Scientific)
What Chemists Do: Identification and Analysis - White Powder Identification

6. Alka-Seltzer Rockets Factors affecting the rates of solution
It is important to break tablets evenly into four quarters
Only Fuji canisters provide a good seal (lid fits securely inside the canister)
Inverted in the launcher
Can be used test variables

7. Factors Affecting Rate of Reaction
Effect of Temperature on Rate of Reaction
Teacher demonstration
Student activity
Effect of Particle Size on Rate of Reaction
Whole tablet
Broken in half
Quartered
Coarsely ground
Finely ground

8. Effect of pH on Rate of Reaction
Complicated set-up
Glass work done by teacher saves time
Solutions available of various pH
Each group uses water plus 2 others
Water displacement technique
Plotting data and analysis
Comparison of rates with pH

9. Common Ion Effect Can be used as a discrepant event
Why do the tablets dissolve at different rates and in varying amounts?

10. Monitoring Changes in pH and Temperature as Reaction Occurs
Must use probeware for pH
Temperature
Tablets are added to room temperature water
Data taken for 5 minutes
Variables can be changed
Number of tablets
Division of tablets
Amount of water
Amount of agitation

11. Buffering Ability of Alka-Seltzer Tablets
Macro-Demonstration
Burets HCl and NaOH
Universal indicator
HCl with water
HCl with tablet
NaOH with tablet
NaOH with water
Can also use pH probes
Micro-Activity
Broken tablets (0.15g to 0.20 g samples)
Well-plates
Universal indicator
Calibrate the micro-pipettes for drops

12. Does a Gas Have Mass?
Can be used initially for introduction to Chemistry
Can be used to demonstrate conservation of mass
When a gas is produced is mass lost?
Baggie provides a closed system

13. Differentiating Liquids Lab
Good introductory lab activity
Properties of Liquids
Viscosity
Density
Solubility
Detailed data recording and evaluation
Inquiry section, if time permits

14. Equilibrium and Rate Determining Step Demo
An entertaining student-centered activity
Shows the progress of a reaction from reactants to a mixture of reactants and products
Can visually recognize that the reaction is favored in the decompositon direction
The “Slow step” is obvious in this demonstration

15. What Chemists Do – A Beginning Analysis Lab
This is a good application of inquiry and the scientific method.
May be useful as a beginning lab on analysis
Students have three unknowns to determine so the lab requires some extended prep time.

16. Quantitative Determination of Sodium Bicarbonate
AP Chemistry
Stoichiometry Calculations
Limiting Reactant
Graphing
Acid-base
Solutions
Decomposition