Carbon dioxide production
Carbon dioxide is produced by the characteristic reaction between a carbonate and an acid, then collected: the gas that respiration and volcanoes release.
The science behind this experiment
Carbon dioxide is a gas present in the atmosphere. In nature it occurs in the gases from volcanic eruptions and is produced by the respiration of both animals and plants. Plants also use this gas to synthesise organic molecules in photosynthesis.
Carbon dioxide can be conveniently produced in the laboratory by the action of acids on carbonates.
Equipment used
- Iron stand — CHE-037
- Universal clamp — HEA-010
- Right angle clamp — PLA-016
- Conical flask 150 ml — CHE-006
- Rubber stopper, 2 holes — CHE-031
- Dropping funnel — CHE-008
- Right angle bent glass delivery tube — CHE-011
- Parafilm — PLA-011
Chemicals and reagents
- Calcium carbonate
- Hydrochloric acid — R:34-37 S:26-45
- Distilled water
Questions for students
- Observe. What is the reaction?
What to expect
CaCO3 + 2HCl → CaCl2 + CO2↑ + H2O. The glowing ember is extinguished because carbon dioxide cannot sustain combustion.
Disposal
Dispose of the acid solution into the acids and bases waste container.
Run this experiment in your classroom
This experiment is part of ATP Volta — a self-contained mobile science lab that turns an ordinary classroom into a working STEM laboratory, with over 200 experiments in physics, chemistry, biology, robotics and engineering. Gali, the AI tutor built into ATP Connect, guides students through each step and answers their questions at the bench.
See the ATP Volta mobile science labTalk to our team