Research Question​:​ Determine the amount of ‘antacid’ in an antacid tablet

Introduction
In my earliest years of childhood I often sat at home, pipette in hand, measuring my milk
muttering my first words “neutralisation” and “burette”. Despite being a highly
accomplished student, one of my greatest achievements must be my victory in the second
grade spelling bee; the winning word being “phenolphthalein”. Having grown up with the
natural inclination to perform titrations, it only seemed fitting to give in to my urges and
complete a titration for my internal assessment. However, a mere direct titration seemed
insufficient with which to express my passion for the method, thus, I have instead designed
a research question with which I can perform a back titration. When not in chemistry class,
I feel an unpleasant painful sensation in my chest, akin to the symptoms one might
experience with heartburn, thus sparking my desire to determine the amount of antacid in
an antacid tablet - an experiment that allows me to explore the cure to my heartbreak and
heartburn.

Background Information
The stomach produces ​hydrochloric acid ​with a molarity of roughly 0.16M in order
to aid with the process of digestion. When eating, production of HCl increases, and too
much food can cause an excess of heartburn. The company Tums produces antacids; tablets
designed to neutralise excess stomach acid and prevent discomfort and heartburn. In order
to achieve this, Tums tablets contain an active ingredient ​calcium carbonate​; a base that
acts as an antacid to neutralise stomach acid. According to their nutritional values, an
average 1.3g tablet contains 0.5g of ​calcium carbonate. ​The neutralisation of ​hydrochloric
acid​ by ​calcium carbonate ​is a reaction between an acid and a metal carbonate, illustrated
below in

2HCL(l) + CaCO​3​(s)-----> CaCl​2​(s) + CO​2​(g)+ H​2​O(l)

When an acid is reacted with a metal carbonate, a salt (CaCl2), Water (H2O) and
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is produced, neutralising the excess acid in the stomach.
As this reaction involves acids and bases, a back titration can be performed in order
to determine the amount of ​calcium carbonate​ is present in the tums tablet - a titration
where which an analyte (in this case, the ​calcium carbonate​) is reacted with a known and
measured reactant in excess (​hydrochloric acid)​, followed by a titration to neutralise the
remaining excess reactant. This methodology provides data that allows calculations to be
made to determine the amount of ​calcium carbonate ​in Tums tablets.
Research Question​:​ Determine the amount of ‘antacid’ in an antacid tablet

Variables
Independent Variable​: Not applicable, as the research question involves a comparison
between the experimental value of ​calcium carbonate​ in Tums and the literature value
Dependent Variable​: The amount of ​calcium carbonate​ present in a Tums tablet,
determined through the back titration
Control Variables: ​seen in ​table 1

table 1
Control Variable How it can be controlled Why it must be controlled

Brand & Flavour (Tums) All tablets used in the trials Different flavours, strengths
will be ​Tums Regular Strength and brands may have varying
500.​ ‘antacids’ and varying antacid
levels.

Concentration of NaOH and The concentration of both Differing concentrations

HCl substances will be 1M for all 3 would result in differing
trials results, causing difficulties and
inconsistencies in terms of
calculations and comparisons,
as the concentration affects
the volume of NaOH required
for the titration.

Period of time in which the The solution can be placed on The solution will be boiled in
HCl and Tums solution is the heating plate for 2 minutes order to minimise the ​carbon
boiled and temperature at 150ºC for each trial. dioxide​ gas present in the
solution to avoid interference
with the titration - therefore,
regulation of the heating
period and temperature is
necessary to ensure the same
amount of ​carbon dioxide i​ s
eliminated.

Drops/volume of 3 drops of phenolphthalein This affects the colour of the

phenolphthalein indicator indicator will be added in each pink solution when the
trial indicator indicates an alkaline
solution. If there is an
overabundance of indicator,
Development of Methodology
A variety of sources were consulted in order to formulate a method, including a back
titration by KBCC’s (Kingsborough Community College) Academic Department. The method
included useful aspects, such as boiling the HCl Tums solution in order to eliminate the
carbon dioxide​ produced, as well as formulae depicting the reactions taking place. However,
the procedure depicted by KBCC did not enclose a complete materials list. This caused
difficulties, as a full list of required materials could only be determined by reading the
method in entirety. I also consulted Santa Monica’s “Evaluation of Antacids via a Titration”,
in which a list of materials was also lacking.However, it included safety considerations,
which were essential in the development of my method. While it stated to use
bromophenol blue indicator in the titration, the instruction to use phenolphthalein in the
KBCC method seemed more appropriate, as the clear distinction between colourless
(indicating an acidic solution) and pink (indicating an alkaline solution) is clearer and
easier to observe, as opposed to the variety of colours produced by bromophenol blue
indicator to show an unnecessary variety of pH levels. I also decided to complete 3 trials, to
minimise the effect of anomalous results on our conclusions and averages drawn from the
data.

Materials (per trial):

Initial HCl and Tums solution:
● 50 cm3 1M hydrochloric acid
● 1 piece Tums tablets
● 1 electronic weighing scale (±0.1g)
● 1 Mortar and Pestle
● 1x 125 cm3 Erlenmeyer flasks
● 1x 125 cm3 pipette (±0.06 cm3 )
● 1 heating plate
● 1 weighing boat
Titration (per trial):
● 1 clamp and stand
● 1 Funnel
● Phenolphthalein Indicator (minimum 12 drops)
● 1 Burette (±0.05 cm3 )
● 50 ml 1M sodium hydroxide

Method:
 1. In the 125 cm3 Erlenmeyer flask, pipet in exactly 50.00 cm3 of 1M HCl using the 25
cm3 pipette
2. Measure mass of weighing boat, and weighing boat with Tums Tablet using balance -
Record both masses
3. Crush 1 piece Tums tablet using a mortar and pestle
4. Dissolve the Tums (from step 3) in the HCl in the Erlenmeyer flask (from step 1)
5. Place Erlenmeyer flask with the HCl and Tums on heating plate at 150ºC and boil
for 2 minutes.
6. Assemble the clamp stand and place burette on clamp stand
7. Add roughly 50 cm3 of 1 M NaOH to the burette and record the starting volume
(measure from bottom of meniscus)
8. After boiling wait until,HCl and Tums solution in the Erlenmeyer flask is cool.
9. Then add 3 drops of phenolphthalein indicator to the HCl and Tums solution in the
Erlenmeyer flask. (Solution should be colourless)
10. Slowly add the NaOH from the burette while constantly swirling the Erlenmeyer
flask. When the first instance of pink solution is observed, begin to add NaOH in
drops.
11. Titrate until the solution remains pink for 30 seconds, marking the end-point of the
titration.
12. Record the final volume of the burette.
13. Repeat steps 1-12 for trials 2 and 3.

Risk Assessment
HCl (aq): ​Harmful when concentrated. Corrosive. Wear eye protection.
NaOH (aq)​: Low hazard; wear eye protection still.
Calcium Carbonate: ​Low hazard. Standard lab safety rules apply.
Glassware​: Take care when handling. Wear close toed footwear.
Heating Plate​: Ensure apparatus is cooled before handling.

Data Collection

Qualitative Results
While the quantitative results produced by the experiment will ultimately be used to
answer the research question, there are numerous qualitative observations that
demonstrate the differences in the reactants ​before, during ​and ​after​ the experiment,
demonstrated in ​table 2.

table 2
 Solution Before During After

Sodium Hydroxide Before titration: During titration: Before titration:

(NaOH) Odourless, Odourless, Odourless,
translucent, colourless translucent, colourless translucent, deep pink

Hydrochloric acid Before reaction: During reaction After reaction:

(HCl) and Tums - HCl: harsh (between HCl and white cloudy solution,
solution odour, Tums): dissolved solid
colourless, fizzing/bubbling,
translucent dissolving tums tablet,
- Tums tablet: solution turning white
circular solid,
white

Phenolphthalein Before titration: During titration: After Titration:

Harsh odour, Colourless when in Pink in neutralised
colourless, translucent HCl/Tums solution HCl/Tums solution

Quantitative Results
Both ​table 3 ​and ​table 4​ depict raw data collected during the experiment.
table 3
Literature Value of Calcium
Carbonate in Tums (g) (3
Mass of Tablet (±0.10g) (3 s.f.) s.f.)*unknown uncertainty
Trial 1 2.40 1
Trial 2 2.43 1
Trial 3 2.38 1
Mean 2.40 1

Raw data from ​table 4​ ​is presented in cm3 .

table 4
Initial Volume of NaOH Final Volume of Volume of NaOH
Hydrochloric Acid recorded in Burette NaOH recorded in Used in Titration
Volume (±0.04 cm ) (±0.05 cm3 )
3 Burette (±0.05 cm3 ) (±0.1 cm3 )
Trial 1 50.00 3.30 39.30 36.00
Trial 2 50.00 3.00 41.9 38.90
Trial 3 50.00 39.9 4.40 35.50
 ​ epicts processed data from the titration of the HCl/Tums solution with NaOH, in
table 5 d
the form of averages and standard deviation.

table 5

Volume of NaOH Used in Titration (±0.0001 dm³)

Mean Median Standard Deviation (3 s.f.)

0.0368 0.0360 0.00150

Analysis
In order to calculate the amount of ​calcium carbonate​ in the antacid tablets, the
mean from the data sample collected was used, as it is an average that takes all 3 trials into
account and can thus most accurately be used for calculations. Furthermore, there was a
minimal spread of data and generally concordant results (demonstrated by the low
standard deviation) - therefore, the mean is the most appropriate average to be used.

Back Titration Sample Calculations

Step 1
Using the average volume of NaOH used in the 3 trials, calculate the number of
moles of NaOH that was used to neutralise the excess HCl in the HCl/Tums solution.
As the Molarity of the solution is predetermined (1M), and the volume of NaOH was
collected during the experiment (mean=0.0368), the number of moles can be calculated
using this data and the formula below.

Molarity = moles/volume (​dm³)

NaOH
1 = ​moles​/0.0368
moles ​= 1 x 0.0368
moles = 0.0368

HCl excess neutralised by NaOH

1:1 ratio
moles = 0.0368

As both the HCl and NaOH had a molarity of 1M, the number of moles of NaOH used to
neutralise the excess HCl in the HCl/Tums solution is equal to the number of moles of HCl
neutralised - this is due to the 1:1 ratio of 1M:1M.
Step 2
Calculate the total number of moles of HCl present in the HCl/Tums solution. (The 50 cm3
added to the Erlenmeyer Flask in ​step 1​ of the method). While the raw data was presented
in cm³, the data must be converted to dm³ for the calculation - 50cm³ = 0.0500dm³. Also, as
previously stated, the Molarity of the HCl used in the experiment was 1M.

Molarity = moles/volume (​dm³)

HCl in solution
1 = ​moles​/0.0500
moles​ = 1 x 0.0500
moles = 0.0500

Step 3

Calculate the number of moles of HCl that were neutralised by the Tums antacid (​calcium
carbonate)​ . This can be done by subtracting the number of moles of excess HCl neutralised
by the NaOH from the number of moles of HCl in the HCl/Tums solution in total.

HCl neutralised by antacid

0.0500 - 0.0368 = ​0.0312 moles

Step 4

In the chemical equation ​2​HCL(l) + CaCO​3​(s)-----> CaCl​2​(s) + CO​2​(g)+ H​2​O(l), ​hydrochloric acid
(​2​HCL) can be seen to have a coefficient of ​2​ while ​calcium carbonate​ (CaCO​3​) has a coefficient of 1.
This therefore means that there is a molar ratio between the compounds of 2:1 respectively. Using
this molar ratio, the moles of ​calcium carbonate​ used to neutralise the ​hydrochloric acid​ can be
calculated using the value from the previous step (the moles of HCl neutralised by the antacid). The
value derived from this calculation can also be stated as the number of moles of CaCO​3 in ​ a singular
Tums tablet.

CaCO​3 ​present in Tums tablet

2:1 ratio
2HCl : 1CaCO​3
2HCl = 0.0312 moles
Therefore
 0.0312/2 = moles of CaCO​3
0.0156 = moles of CaCO​3

Step 5

Convert moles of CaCO​3​ to grams. In order to compare the experimental value of CaCO​3​ to
the literature value of CaCO​3​, they must be in the same units. Therefore, the moles of CaCO​3
must be converted to grams. As one tablet was used in each titration, this value is also
equal to the ​calcium carbonate​ in each tablet.

Grams of CaCO​3
Moles = mass/atomic mass
0.0156 = moles of CaCO​3
Therefore
0.0156 = mass/atomic mass of CaCO​3
atomic mass of CaCO​3​= 100 (3s.f.)
0.0156 = mass/100
Mass = 0.0156 x 100
Mass = 1.56g

Step 6

Calculate percentage deviation of experimental value from literature value. The literature
value of ​Calcium Carbonate​ in a tums tablet is 1g per tablet. This can be done by calculating
the difference between the experimental value and the literature value, then using the
product to calculate a percentage deviation.

(Δ​mass between experimental and literature value/literature value) x 100

Percentage Deviation from literature value
Literature value = 1g
1.56 - 1 = 0.56
0.56/1 = 0.56
0.56 x 100 = 56%
As my resultant value is a positive value, this shows that my experimental value was
greater than the expected/literature value.

Propagating Uncertainties
table 6
 Apparatus Uncertainty Percentage uncertainty

Pipet (25cm³) ± 0.04 0.04 / 25 = 0.016 * 100 = 1.6%

1.6 x 2 = 3.2% - accounts for
50cm³of HCl being measured
(pipette is used twice)

Buret (50cm³) ± 0.05 0.05 / 50 = 0.001 * 100 = 0.1%

TOTAL UNCERTAINTY - 3.2 + 0.1 = 3.3%

Conclusion
Overall, the purpose of the experiment was to determine the amount of ​calcium
carbonate​ present in one tablet of TUMS antacid tablets. However, the percentage deviation
of my experimental value from the literature value was considerably large - over 50%. This
therefore means that there may have been numerous human errors during the experiment,
but the significantly smaller proposed uncertainty (3.3%) also means that there were a
number of uncertainties that were unaccounted for. These could include slightly varying
masses of tablets, therefore meaning slightly varying levels of ​calcium carbonate.​ However,
this also implies that one general literature value may be an inaccurate generalisation for
all TUMS tablets - a question that may be explored with more data and more trials to rule
out human error.
As seen in ​table 4​, the volume of NaOH used in the titration varied greatly, and in
fact had a standard deviation of 0.0015 (when converted to ​dm³). This must have played a
significant factor in the large difference between the the experimental value and literature value,
and was a result of human error, an evaluation point that is further evaluated in ​table 7​.

Extension
In order to extend this experiment, perhaps more advanced equipment could be
used to ensure accurate results, such as a method involving a pH sensor and a stir station -
these replacements to analogue products may then minimise the risks and detrimental
effects of human error, providing more accurate results and hopefully resulting in a
significantly smaller percentage deviation between the experimental value and the
literature value. Furthermore, a comparison between brands could be made - further back
titrations with different brands could allow an assessment on the effectiveness of varying
brands of antacids. Different brands also use different ‘antacids’, and thus an investigation
could be formed to find the ‘best’ chemical to be used in the manufacturing of antacids
Evaluation:
table 7
 Problem How it affected the Methods for Improvement
experiment

Halting the titration right at This was up to judgement and This issue may be improved in
the point of neutralisation observation of the colour the future through the use of a
change of the phenolphthalein pH probe, as previously
in the solution, and inaccurate mentioned in the ​extension​,
observation may have as it would allow for an
detrimentally affected the data accurate point at which the
by providing inaccurate solution is neutralised, as the
measurements for the volume results are digital, minimising
of NaOH used to titrate the the effects and risk of human
excess HCl. Furthermore, as error and providing accurate
50cm³ of HCl was used, there volumes of NaOH used in the
was a large volume of liquid in titration, thus improving the
the flask, and only a small accuracy of further
amount of phenolphthalein calculations.
was used (3 drops), possibly
affecting the visibility of the
pink colour and thus
interfering with the
observation of the colour
change.

Varying sizes/masses of TUMS Varying masses may have an This could be controlled
tablets affect on the data, as through prior monitoring and
checking of the TUMS tablets

Residue of Tums tablets in As the TUMS tablets are This could be improved by
mortar and pestle and transferred between multiple crushing the TUMS tables
weighing boat apparatus, this increases the slowly and carefully. It can
chances that residue is left also be improved by crushing
over in each apparatus, the tums in to slightly larger
decreasing the mass of TUMS pieces, rather than a powder,
used in the experiment and decreasing the chances of
thus causing inaccurate residue and spillage.
results. Furthermore, as the
tablets are crushed in the
mortar and pestle, there is the
possibility that spillage may
have taken place.

Works Cited:
Experiment #11: Titration of a Commercial Antacid ​. City University of New York,
Kingsborough Community College, Experiment #11: Titration of a Commercial Antacid .

“About TUMS®.” ​What Are Antacids? | TUMS®​, ​www.tums.com/about/​.

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