Introduction

What is it that makes soda pop fizzy? The answer is carbon dioxide. CO2 dissolved in water carbonates the liquid. Many people find this carbonated solution desirable in some soft drinks and some alcoholic beverages.

CO2(g)  <   water   >  CO2(aq)

There are two main factors that affect the solubility of gases in water: pressure on the liquid and temperature.

In this activity you will investigate how changing the temperature of the solution affects the solubility of carbon dioxide in water.

Objectives

  • Measure the concentration of carbon dioxide in a container after the CO2 is released from a constant volume of carbonated beverage heated to different temperatures.
  • Construct a graph of CO2 concentration vs. temperature.