Investigation: Denture Tablet Blast Off

The effect of changing the temperature of the water on the time it takes for
a film canister lid to “Blast off”
Introduction:
- PE: context for the lab/enthusiasm/ justification of choice/connect to
question
- Thesis: approach / direction of lab – this is a “sneak peek” at the lab

Chemistry students are often curious and/or keen to “explode” or “blast off”
a variety of chemical reactions in class. Younger students often build a
Volcano for a Science project and need to re-create the explosion to mimic
lava eruptions from a real Volcano. Safety is a major issue with these
types of experiments. Denture cleaning tablets, such as Efferdent, Polident
and drug store generic, are not only cheap but easily available and safe to
handle. The tablets contain sodium bicarbonate and citric acid as solids.
When immersed in water, they dissolve and react quite vigorously.
Reacting the tablets in water can illustrate several aspects of reactions,
reactions times, rates of reactions and chemical engineering, while still
providing the excitement of an exploding reaction.
This investigation was carried out to experiment with different temperatures
of water mixed with denture tablets in order to pop the lid off of a film
canister in the shortest period of time.

Background Information:
- Scientific contributions: research – ensure it is relevant to Q and
PE (and cite it!)
- your chemistry knowledge – concepts, principles, reactions,
calculation equations, figures, support with research (and cite it)

A denture cleaner (also termed denture cleanser), is a cleaner used to

clean dentures when they are out of the mouth. Their main use is to control
the growth of microorganisms on the dentures. Denture cleansers are also
used to remove stains and other debris that may be caused by diet,
tobacco use, drinking coffee, drinking tea, etc.(in line reference)
The denture cleaner works by the reaction between citric acid and sodium
bicarbonate to produce sodium citrate, carbon dioxide, and water. Figure 1
shows the balanced reaction (in line reference)
There are many factors that can affect the time it takes for a reaction to
occur and therefore the rate. Several of these factors include:
concentration, temperature, surface area and the presence of a catalyst,
this aspect of chemistry is known as “Kinetics”. (in line reference)

In this investigation, water will be mixed with a denture tablet, the

temperature of water will be changed and the time it takes for a lid to pop
off a film canister will be measured.

Question:
What is the effect of changing the temperature of the water measured using
a thermometer (± 0.5 ◦C) on the time it takes for the lid to pop off a film
canister measured using a stopwatch in seconds. (± 0.5 s)
(* NOTE: this question does not provide for a calculation, the data
collections has been simplified so that students can develop skills in the
area of lab design)

Design:
Independent Variable: The temperature of the tap water, 5.0± 0.5 ◦C,
20.0± 0.5 ◦C, 35.0± 0.5 ◦C, 50.0± 0.5 ◦C, 65.0± 0.5 ◦C, measured using a
thermometer 0.5 ◦C. The various temperatures will be achieved using
water from a freezer, the tap and a kettle.

Dependent Variable: The time it takes for the lid to pop of the film canister,
measured using a stopwatch in seconds (± 0.5s)
(Note: if testing Rate the appropriate rater formula would be mentioned
here)

Control Variables:
- The volume of tap water, 20.0 mL ± 0.5 mL, measured using
a 25.0 ± 0.5 mL graduated cylinder.
- Mass of denture tablet, 1.20 g ± 0.01g, measured using an
electronic balance.
- The surface area of the tablet, the tablet will be ground in to
a powder using a mortar and pestle.
 - The amount of agitation, the film canister will be shaken 3
times after the lid is placed firmly on the canister.

Hypothesis:
If the temperature in the water is increased then the lid of the canister will
pop off in the least amount of time at the highest temperature (65.0 ± 0.5
◦C). This is because at a high temperature the water molecules are moving
very quickly and this increases the chances of an effective collision* with
the denture tablet.
(*NOTE: Collision theory has been simplified in this explanation due
to limited knowledge of kinetics at this point in the chemistry course)

Safety and Environmental Concerns:

Safety googles must be worn
All waste can be rinsed down the drain with lots of water

Materials:

 8 Denture tablets (1.20 g ± 0.01 g)

 1 Film canister and fitted lid
 Mortar
 Pestle
 Electronic balance (± 0.01 g)
 Weight Paper
 ~ 200 mL tap water
 25.0 ± 0.5 mL mL graduated cylinder
 Stopwatch (± 0.5 s)
 Scoopula
 Thermometer (± 0.5C)
 Electric Kettle
 Freezer and Ice Cubes

Procedure:
1. Put on safety glasses.
2. Using a mortar and pestle grind 2 tablets into a fine powder. Grind
more tablet as needed throughout the experiment.
3. Place a weight paper on the balance. Zero the electronic balance,
mass 0.80 g ± 0.01 g of tablet. Record the mass of the tablet.
4. Using a 25.0 mL ± 0.5 mL graduated cylinder, measure 20 mL ± 0.5
mL of tap water and pour into film canister.
5. Measure the temperature of the water using a thermometer making
sure it is 20.0C ± 0.5C. If it is not wait for it to reach that
temperature.
6. Pour the tablet from the weight paper into the film canister and put
the lid on immediately.
7. At the same instant the tablet is placed in the canister press start on
the stopwatch.
8. Cover the lid with one hand and shake the canister 3 times, using an
up and down motion. Place the canister on the lab bench.
9. Stop the stopwatch when the lid pops off.
Record the time (in seconds ± 0.5 s) it takes for the lid to pop off in
the observation table. Rinse the canister in the sink and dry.
10. Repeat steps 3-9, two more times, to obtain a total of 3 trials for
water at 20.0C ± 0.5C.
11. Place a 250 ml beaker with approximately 60 ml of water in it in
the freezer. Monitor periodically with a thermometer until the
temperature reaches 5.0± 0.5 ◦C. Do not place the thermometer in
the freezer.
12. Repeat steps 3-9 using the water that has reached 5.0± 0.5 ◦C
for a total of 3 trials.
13. Fill the electric kettle with water and allow it to come to a boil.
Pour some into a beaker and place a thermometer in the beaker.
Allow the temperature to cool to 65.0± 0.5 ◦C
14. Repeat steps 3-9 using the water that has reached 65.0± 0.5 ◦C
for a total of 3 trials.
15. Using the same boiled water, allow it to cool to 50.0± 0.5 ◦C
and repeat steps 3-9 for a total of 3 trials.
16. If necessary boil more water or using the same boiled water,
allow it to cool to 35.0± 0.5 ◦C and repeat steps 3-9 for a total of 3
trials.
17. Clean up all materials and return them to their proper locations.
Observations:
Table 1: The time it takes for 0.80± 0.01g of Powdered Denture tablet at
different temperatures to blast the lid off of a film canister when mixed with
20.0 ± 0.5 ml of water.

Temperature Trial Time Physical and Chemical

± 0.5 ◦C ± 0.5 s Observations
5.0 1
2
3

References