Stomach Acid Lab

Self Evaluation: I enjoyed this activity, because we had some freedom of what antacids we could pour into the vinegar. Also, the reactions were interesting to watch. The results showed which antacids worked the best at raising the Ph Level. This lab taught me a lot about how the labels on antacids (and maybe other medicines) may lie to you about how effective they really are. Just because they say "maximum strength", or "extra strength" doesn't mean they actually work better.

Acids have excess H+ ions, making their Ph Level low, while bases have excess OH-, making their Ph Level higher. The lower the Ph Level the more acidic the substance is. Bases neutral out acids. So, since antacids are bases, they balance out the Ph Level of the acids. Water is neutral because the H+ and OH- balance out, making water completely neutral.