Fizzy vs.

Flat Soda
Le Châtelier's Principle

Lesson Plan
Guiding Question: Why does soda go flat?

Overview: Students explore Le Châtelier's Principle by changing the volume, pressure, and temperature of a soda bottle. They can
also try carbonating the soda to see how adding a reactant affects the equilibrium.

Learning Goals:

● Recognize that chemical equilibrium is defined by equal rates of forward and reverse reactions, not concentrations.
● Visualize dynamic equilibrium.
● Predict how pressure, volume, temperature, or concentration will change the behavior of the system.
● Identify that changes in pressure, volume, and concentration do not affect the equilibrium constant (K), but that changes
in temperature do affect the equilibrium constant of a reaction.
● Describe what is happening in a system by interpreting a graph.

Key Concepts: Equilibrium, Reversible Reaction, Chemical Equilibrium, Equilibrium and Le Châtelier's Principle, Le Châtelier's
Principle, Le Châtelier's Principle and the Equilibrium Constant.

Link to Simulation: https://interactives.ck12.org/simulations/chemistry/le-chateliers-principle/app/

Background Video
A soda comes in many flavors and with varying levels of sweetness and
caffeine, but a soda is not a soda without its fizz. Like other carbonated
beverages, the fizz in soda comes from carbon dioxide (CO2) gas dissolved in it.
Yet, keeping CO2 gas in a solution is a delicate process.

Carbon dioxide gas above the soda creates pressure on the surface of the liquid,
which prevents CO2 dissolved in the liquid from escaping the liquid. The CO2
gas above the liquid and the CO2 gas dissolved in the liquid are in dynamic
equilibrium. This means that CO2 enters the liquid at the same rate CO2 exits the
liquid, and that the concentration of gas in the liquid and above the liquid do not
change.

The focus of this simulation will be on the solution’s equilibrium. In soda,

the CO2 dissolved in the solution is undergoing a chemical reaction where it combines with water to form carbonic acid (H2CO3). This
reaction is reversible meaning H2CO3 can decompose into CO2 and H2O. The reaction is happening in both directions all the time.
When the system is at equilibrium the rate of the forward and reverse reaction is equal, so the concentration of CO2 and H2CO3
remains constant. The system stays in a dynamic equilibrium until a stressor is applied. Try applying different stressors to the system
like changing the temperature, pressure, etc. When you apply a different stressor to the soda bottle will your soda remain delightfully
fizzy or turn flat?

Teacher Guide | Page 1

 Simulation Overview

Pressure Show Sphere Model

This slider adjusts the amount of pressure exerted by the gases Turn on the sphere model to use different colored spheres for
inside of the soda bottle. To change the pressure of the the different molecules. To see the actual molecules turn off
system, either the bottle can be compressed or the lid can be the sphere model.
opened.

Graph of Concentration vs. Time

This graph shows the concentration of the reactant [H2CO3]
Volume and the product [CO2]. At equilibrium their concentrations
This slider adjusts the volume of the soda bottle. To change remain constant. When a stressor is applied, their
the volume of the system, either the bottle can be compressed concentrations change rapidly in response to the stressors and
or the lid can be opened. then change gradually as they return to a state of equilibrium.

Concentration
This slider adjusts the concentration of gaseous carbon dioxide
dissolved in the soda. To increase the amount of CO2(g) in the
solution, the bottle is attached to a carbonator, which pushes
CO2(g) into the solution. To decrease the amount of CO2(g), Reaction Quotient
the lid is opened causing the CO2(g) gas above the liquid to The reaction quotient shows the ratio of the concentration of
release into the air. Since there is less gas pushing out on the products to the concentration of reactants during a chemical
CO2(g) in the liquid, it escapes out of the liquid. reaction. At equilibrium, the reaction quotient is equal to the
equilibrium constant (K). Notice that H2O is not included in
the equation since it is the solvent.

Temperature
This slider adjusts the temperature of the soda bottle. To
increase the temperature of the soda bottle, it is placed outside
in the sun on a hot day. To decrease the temperature of the
soda bottle, it is put into a refrigerator. Chemical Equation
The chemical equation shows the reversible reaction of H2CO3
(aq) into CO2 (g) and H2O(l). It has a forward and backwards

arrow because it is reversible. If the arrow is bigger in one

direction than the other, it means that the reaction rate in that
direction is momentarily greater.

Teacher Guide | Page 2

 Molecule Explorer

Carbonic Acid - H2CO3

Carbonic acid is what gives soda its tangy flavor. Carbonic acid has two sources in soda. The first source is the H2CO3 found in the
soda solution itself. The second source is the CO 2 in soda that is converted to H2CO3 by an enzyme on the tongue. Regardless of its
origins, carbonic acid will protonate in solution, and hydrogen ions (H+) will activate the sour-taste receptor sites on the tongue. This
is why most acids, not only carbonic acid, have a sour taste.

Carbon Dioxide - CO2

Soda, like other carbonated beverages, is a solution containing dissolved CO 2 gas. In order to dissolve CO2 gas in solution, the soda is
pressurized. The cap sealing the bottle keeps the system pressurized. When the cap is opened, the pressure decreases, as the gas
applying pressure (pushing down) on top of the liquid escapes out of the bottle. This allows the CO 2 gas dissolved in the liquid to
escape out of the solution. The CO2 gas escaping from the liquid is what creates the bubbles when the soda is opened.

When we drink soda, the CO 2 gas is what creates the tingly feeling on our tongue. It also gives soda its tangy flavor when it is
converted to H2CO3 by an enzyme on our tongue. The H 2CO3 then releases a H+ which activates the sour-taste receptor sites on the
tongue.

Water - H2O
Water is often referred to as the universal solvent, and it lives up to its name! Even non-polar gases like carbon dioxide can dissolve in
water. In soda, carbon dioxide is usually added to water using a carbonator.

However, a carbonator is not the only way to make carbon dioxide dissolve in water. Some of the oceans’ CO 2 gas comes from natural
sources such as thermal vents, plant and animal respiration, and soil respiration and decomposition. Since the industrial revolution an
increasingly large amount of the oceans’ CO 2 has been added to the ocean from burning fossil fuels. As more and more fossil fuel is
burned, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere increases and the concentration of CO2 in the oceans does too!

Much of the CO2 that dissolves in the ocean reacts with H2O to form carbonic acid (H2CO3) that quickly releases an H+ ion which then
reacts with carbonate (CO32−) to form bicarbonate (HCO3−) as follows:

H2CO3 (aq) ⇌ H+(aq) + HCO3- (aq)

H+(aq) + CO32- (aq) ⇌ HCO3- (aq)

Organisms such as coral, mollusks, and other marine calcifiers require carbonate in order to make calcium carbonate (CaCO3) that is
needed to form their coral structures and shells. As the ocean becomes more and more acidic, less and less carbonate is available,
which could lead to the extinction of coral and the destruction of many other marine ecosystems and geology.

Teacher Guide | Page 3

 Real-World Connections

How much fertilizer can we produce? What causes altitude sickness?

Ammonia is the key ingredient in most fertilizers. To produce
Altitude sickness, which symptoms include headache, nausea,
ammonia manufacturers combine nitrogen and hydrogen gas
and dizziness, occurs when not enough oxygen is delivered to
to form ammonia gas.
body tissues.

N2(g) + 3H2(g) ⇆ 2NH3(g) ΔH = -92 kJ/mol

Hemoglobin carries oxygen throughout the body via the
bloodstream. Oxygen and hemoglobin (Hb) combine through
Manufacturers apply the Le Châtelier's principle to create
the simplified reaction:

Hb (aq) + O (g) ⇆ HbO (aq)

2
conditions where they can maximize the amount of 2

ammonia produced.
When you move from low to high altitude, such as climbing
up a mountain, the pressure from the oxygen gas decreases.
Since the reaction is exothermic, decreasing the temperature
This reduction in pressure means that the concentration of O2
would lead to a higher concentration of ammonia at
in the blood decreases. This shifts the reaction to the left
equilibrium. However, lowering the temperature would also
causing oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) to break down while the
decrease the rate of reaction thus slowing down production,
hemoglobin increases in the blood. Thus less oxygen is
so the temperature of this reaction should be kept relatively
reaching your body tissues causing altitude sickness.
high at 400 - 450°C.

Over many weeks at high altitude the body begins to produce

Instead, since the reaction contains gas, the pressure is
more hemoglobin to remedy this problem. The increased
increased, which shifts the reaction towards the side with
amount of hemoglobin (increasing a reactant), pushes the
fewest gas molecules. High pressure conditions are very
reaction forward there by providing an adequate amount of
expensive to create so most ammonia is produced at pressures
oxygen to the body.
under 200 atm (which is still a pretty high pressure).

To speed up the process a catalyst is added, but the catalyst

does not affect the yield of ammonia; it only increases the rate
at which it is produced.

Teacher Guide | Page 4

What is high altitude training? Does the pH of the ocean change?
High altitude training is used by athletes to improve Over the past 300 million years, the ocean pH has been
performance. slightly basic, averaging pH ≈ 8.2. Data from the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that oceans
Athletes train at high altitudes where the low pressure causes are becoming more acidic due to the increase in CO2
the concentration of O2 in the blood to decrease. This shifts the emissions.
reaction to the left thereby reducing the concentration of
oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) in the blood. The ocean has always absorbed CO2 from the atmosphere.
Once dissolved in seawater, CO2 reacts with water to form
Hb (aq) + O2 (g) ⇆ HbO2 (aq) carbonic acid, H2CO3.
Over time, on the order of weeks, the body acclimates to
CO2 + H2O ⟶ H2CO3-
changes in altitude by producing more hemoglobin. The
increased hemoglobin pushes the reaction in the forward
direction, thereby increasing the concentration of HbO 2 to a The carbonic acid protonates in water to form hydronium ions.
sufficient level. H2CO - ⟶ HCO - + H+
3 3
When the athlete competes at a lower altitude, they still
have increased levels of hemoglobin, but now there is also The bicarbonate then dissociates into carbonate and hydrogen
more oxygen available to react, so more HbO2 will form. ions

The athlete who trained at a higher altitude more effectively HCO3- ⇆ CO32- + H+
removes more oxygen from the air and transports it
throughout their body, which can enhance performance. Since carbonate (CO 32-) favors reacting with H+ over Ca2+,
marine life is left with insufficient Ca to form CaCO3, which
makes up most of their shell.

Over the past 100 years it estimated that over 1,000 gigatons
of human-created CO2 have been added to the atmosphere; a
third of which has been absorbed by the oceans. Adding so
much extra CO2 to the oceans pushes the reaction in a forward
direction, and subsequently pushes all of the other reactants in
the forward direction as well. The end result is that most of the
CO32- ions are consumed leaving crustaceans and corals
without the CO32- ions they need to sustain life.

Teacher Guide | Page 5

 Name: Date:

Fizzy vs. Flat Soda

Le Châtelier's Principle

Exploration Questions
Challenge Me Questions 1-8: As you explore the simulation, answer the following questions.

1. If CO2 is being produced in the solution at a faster rate than H2CO3, is the rate of the forward or reverse reaction faster?

The forward reaction's rate is higher since CO2 is a product.

2. Why does squeezing the bottle cause the pressure of the CO2 gas in the solution to increase?

The CO2 gas molecules might occupy less area when the bottle is squeezed. Since there is less room for
the gas molecules, they will collide with the liquid's surface more frequently, raising the pressure on the
liquid.

3. As the temperature increases, what happens to the CO2 in the solution? What about the H2CO3 molecules?
When the temperature rises, CO2 can escape from a liquid, reducing its concentration. This causes an imbalance, so H2CO3
breaks apart into CO2 and H2O to restore CO2 concentration, and this continues until equilibrium is reached. Increasing
temperature also favors the production of more CO2.

4. Which of the following would decrease the number of CO2 molecules in the solution AND increase the number of CO2
molecules above the solution: increasing temperature or decreasing temperature? Why?

Raising the temperature of a solution causes a decrease in the amount of CO2 that remains dissolved in the solution. This
occurs due to an increase in the kinetic energy of gas molecules, making them capable of overcoming intermolecular forces
that keep them in solution and allowing them to escape.
5. If the lid of the bottle was left open instead of closed after opening, what do you think would happen to the CO2
molecules in the solution?

Over time, the CO2 molecules present in the solution may escape into the surrounding environment.

Exploration Worksheet | Page 6

 Name: Date:
6. If the volume, pressure, or amount of CO2 in solution was changed such that the amount of CO2 in solution
decreased, what would happen to H2CO3 in the solution? Why?

Due to the decrease in the concentration of CO2, the concentration of H2CO3 in the solution would become relatively high.
This would lead to the breakdown of H2CO3 into CO2 and H2O, thereby increasing the concentration of CO2 and restoring
the equilibrium. This process would continue until the solution reaches a state of equilibrium.

7. Before the bottle is squeezed, the system is at equilibrium. After the bottle has been squeezed, the system eventually
returns to equilibrium. Is the concentration of CO2 the same in both equilibrium situations (before and after squeezing the
bottle)? What about the equilibrium constant?

The concentration of CO2 is different in the two equilibria due to the increase in pressure, which leads to an increase in the
product/reactant ratio. However, the equilibrium constant remains constant and the ratio returns to its original value once
equilibrium is restored.

8. Which of the following would cause the reaction to shift in the direction that forms more gas molecules in solution:
increasing the pressure or decreasing the pressure? Why?

Lowering the pressure promotes the forward reaction, which generates more gas molecules since it is favorable for the
formation of a greater number of moles of gas.

Exploration Worksheet | Page 7

 Name: Date:

Check My Understanding
Questions 9-17: Circle the choice that best answers each question.

9. When the [CO2] and [H2CO3] are both horizontal 13. When the carbonator adds CO2 to the solution, a
lines, the rate of the forward reaction is
is added to the reaction, which pushes the
the rate of the reverse reaction reaction in the direction.
a. faster than a. product , forward
b. slower than b. product , reverse
c. the same as c. reactant , forward
d. reactant , reverse
10. If you added molecules of H2CO3 into the liquid,
what do you think would happen?
14. For a given reaction, which statement is true?
a. Since this would increase the
concentration of CO2, the forward a. The equilibrium constant is always the
reaction would be favored. same number, but the concentration of
reactants and products can vary at
b. Since this would increase the equilibrium.
concentration of CO2, the reverse
reaction would be favored. b. The equilibrium constant is always the
same number as long as the temperature
c. Since this would increase the
is held constant.
concentration of H2CO2, the reverse
reaction would be favored. c. The equilibrium constant is always the
same number as long as the pressure is
d. Since this would increase the
held constant
concentration of H2CO2, the forward
reaction would be favored. d. The equilibrium constant is always the
same number as long as the concentration
of CO2 is held constant.
11. If CO2 is being produced in the solution at a faster
rate than H2CO3, then the rate of the
reaction is faster than the rate of the 15. When the pressure increases, the concentration of
reaction. CO2 gas in the solution at equilibrium .

a. forward / reverse a. increases

b. reverse / forward b. decreases

c. neither A nor B is correct c. does not change

12. Which statement best describes why the 16. Which of the following causes the concentration of
equilibrium constant is a large number (greater H2CO3 in solution at equilibrium to increase?
than 1) in this simulation? a. increasing pressure, volume, or CO2
a. At equilibrium the concentration of b. decreasing pressure, volume, or CO2
product is equal to the concentration of c. increasing pressure, decreasing volume, or
reactants. increasing CO2
b. At equilibrium there is significantly less d. decreasing pressure, increasing volume, or
product than reactant. decreasing CO2
c. At equilibrium there is significantly more
product than reactant.

Exploration Worksheet | Page 8

 Name: Date:
17. The decomposition of H2CO3 is an endothermic reaction.
H2CO3 ⇄ CO2 + H2O ΔHrxn = 20.4 kJ/mol
How will adding heat affect the reaction? Why?
a. It will increase the rate of the forward reaction because adding heat is like adding a product to reaction.
b. It will increase the rate of the reverse reaction because adding heat is like adding a product to
reaction.
c. It will increase the rate of the reverse reaction because adding heat is like adding a reactant to
reaction.
d. It will increase the rate of the forward reaction because adding heat is like adding a reactant to
reaction

Exploration Worksheet | Page 9