Sodium Hydrochloric Acid Lab Report

Abstract

The purpose of the experiment was to test which antacid medicine was most effective in decreasing the acidity levels in the stomach. Titration experiments involving hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide were used to test different antacids to see which one needed the least amount of sodium hydroxide to turn the solution pink. The antacids that were being compared in this experiment were Alcalak, Alka-Seltzer and Medi-First. With the use of M1 x V1 = M2 x V2 the excess volume of hydrochloric acid was found in order to find the amount of hydrochloric acid volume neutralized out of the original 100 mL of hydrochloric acid. The results obtained for the volume neutralized by each antacid were 45.28 mL (Alcalak), 11.70 mL (Alka-Seltzer)

Acid reflux is an extremely common health problem, affecting as many as 50 percent of the US population [1]. It's important to understand that acid reflux is not due to having too much acid in your stomach, but rather it's a condition related more commonly to hiatal hernia – a condition in which the acid comes out of your stomach, which is where it's designed to be confined to [1]. Another, problem that was found to be associated with high stomach acidity levels is heartburn. Heartburn pain is a direct result of irritation to the esophagus, which occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is not functioning properly for some reason [2]. The LES is a muscular ring at the bottom of the esophagus that opens to let food into the stomach and then closes after the food has passed [2]. Its purpose is to prevent acidic stomach contents from entering the esophagus where it could burn the esophageal tissue [2]. When acid levels rise, the pH of the stomach drops, which causes the LES to shut itself as it senses the increased acidity

Then, the antacid medicine, Medi-First, was placed in the 250 mL beaker. After, 5 drops of the indicator, phenolphthalein, was added to the 250 mL beaker with the addition of the magnetic stir bar. Second, the 250 mL beaker was placed on a magnetic stirrer on level 6 until the antacid was completely mixed in. Once the solution was prepared the beaker was placed on the base of the burette holder under the burette. Third, 32.7 mL of sodium hydroxide was poured into the 50 mL burette. Then the burette was released a little to gradually allow the sodium hydroxide into the beaker. Finally, the sodium hydroxide was stopped when the solution was completely pink and the amount of sodium hydroxide in the burette was recorded. To find the final amount of sodium hydroxide left, 50 mL must be subtracted from the final amount of sodium hydroxide in the burette. Then 32.7 mL subtracted by the final amount of sodium hydroxide will result in the total sodium hydroxide used until solution turned pink. This procedure was then repeated with the antacid Alcalak and Alka-Seltzer, which had different initial amounts of sodium