Reactions in Baggies with Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Chloride, and Universal Indicator
Introduction:
• Calcium chloride, CaCl2, is a salt that is solid at room temperature, and it behaves as a typical ionic halide. It has several common applications such as brine for refrigeration plants, ice and dust control on roads, and in concrete. It can be produced directly from limestone, but large amounts are also produced as a by-product of the Solvay process. Because of its hygroscopic nature, it must be kept in tightly-sealed containers. It is used to turn kelp into a solid.
• Sodium bicarbonate or sodium hydrogen carbonate is the chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3. Sodium bicarbonate is a white solid that is crystalline but often appears as a fine powder. It has a slight alkaline taste resembling that of washing soda (sodium carbonate). It is a component of the mineral natron and is found dissolved in many mineral springs. The natural mineral form is known as nahcolite. It is also produced artificially.
• Universal indicator is a pH indicator that transitions through numbers 3-12 (on the pH chart) to indicate the acidity or alkalinity of solutions.’
A universal indicator is typically composed of water, methanol, propan-1-ol, phenolphthalein sodium salt, methyl red sodium salt, bromothymol blue monosodium salt, and thymol blue monosodium salt [
The colors that indicate the pH of a solution, after adding universal indicator are:
0-3. Strong acid - Red
3-6. Acid - Orange/Yellow
7. Neutral - Green
8-11. Alkali - Blue
11-14. Strong Alkali – Purple
Materials
1. 5 baggies 2. 5 test tubes 3. Sodium Bicarbonate
4. Calcium Chloride 5. Universal Indicator 6. 2 scoopulas
7. 1 small beaker 8. Pipette 9. Scale
10. D. I. water 11. Thermometer
Procedure:
Experiment 1:
1. Measure out 4.5 grams of Sodium Bicarbonate and Calcium Chloride; place them in opposite sides of a baggie.
2....