This scientific report aims to determine if different amounts of Mylanta liquid, when increased in dosage size, is more effective in relieving heartburn faster. The human stomach is a muscular, stretchable sac with a sphincter (ring of muscle) at each end and contains hydrochloric acid which activates pepsinogen ('Biology: A human emphasis', n.d.). This then breaks down the food into smaller particles which make the environment highly acidic. The stomach receives food from the esophagus and stretches to store it. Stomach contractions break up food and mix it with gastric fluid. The pH level of the stomach is at rest 4-5 and after a high protein meal, the pH of your stomach is 1-2. Most people experience indigestion or heartburn. When people experience heartburn, it is due to the escape of acid up into the oesophagus or gullet. It is often felt near to where your heart is, because the oesophagus runs behind the heart. ('Heartbrun (reflux, gord, gerd) information video | myvmc', n.d.) Antacids neutralize excess stomach acid to relieve heartburn and other conditions (Cleveland Clinic 2019).
Some of these formulas contain simethicone, an anti-foaming agent that helps reduce bloating by breaking down gas bubbles in your stomach. They contain one of these key ingredients: calcium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, aluminium hydroxide and/or sodium bicarbonate ('Antacids - iffgd', n.d.). Acids and bases are two types of corrosive substances. Any substance with a pH between 0 up to 6 on the pH scale is considered acidic, whereas a pH value of 8 to 14 is a base (Diagram 1). Acids break apart in water to form a hydrogen ion (H+). Bases, on the other hand break apart to form a negatively charged hydroxide ion (OH-) in water. Examples of acids and bases are included in Table 1. Neutralization is a chemical reaction in which an acid and a base react quantitatively with each other. The neutralization formula is acid + base = salt + water. It is when acids and bases react to form salt and water. An indicator is a substance that changes colour in different pH environments. In a reaction to water, neutralization results in excess of hydrogen or hydroxide ions present in the solution. In a reaction in water, neutralization results in there being no excess of hydrogen or hydroxide ions present in the solution. Universal indicator is a brown-coloured solution containing a mixture of indicators that can be added to any substance to determine its pH (diagram 2).
Hypothesis
“If the Mylanta liquid is added to the Hydrochloric acid at 10ml, then the pH after three minutes will be closer to the neutral level (7) than 5ml, because there is more solution to react.”
Modifications and methodology
This experiment refines the original experiment as the original experiment used the same amount, but the new experiment made has used one antacid and in different measurements to show which measurement will react quicker rather than just seeing the quickest time for the antacid to relieve the pH. To extend the experiment, there could be more pH probes for quicker sets of trials and a different acid instead of hydrochloric acid so that it would measure a different environment, therefore a different set of pH.
Interpretation and analysis
When the 5ml of Mylanta liquid was used with the 0.01 M HCL, the pH levels received were around the same mark after three minutes as seen in Table 2. On the other side, when the 10ml of Mylanta liquid was used, the data was a bit more spread out than the 5ml in Table 2. The relationship between the variables was that they worked good with each other as 3 minutes was a good time for the antacid to settle. These results suggest that the 10ml of Mylanta get the closes to the pH of 7 than 5ml. The t-test (table 3) conducted from the results of the experiment show that the P two – tail was less than 0.05 showing a significantly different result. The results indicate that the 10ml of the Mylanta liquid resulted in a closer pH to neutral, possibly because there was more of the antacid, so it would relieve the upset stomach acid quicker. There were some inconsistencies in the results as on the Pasco software, as in certain parts, the pH number dropped from 4 to -8. Apart from that, there was no unusual results from the data collected. Aspects that went against the overall result was that we only got 3 trials in and with more trials, we could’ve received more precise data.
Suggested improvements and suggestions
Suggestions for the next group would be to get more data. By doing more trials, there is more reliable data to tell in the assignment, therefore there will be more trends and differences to reference for a better explanation. Limitations which can extend in further experimental groups will be to do more trials, and to use different amounts. This would have affected our results because there would accurate data. Therefore, when modifying the experiment, you can use more antacids and different amounts, as well as measuring something different such as time rather than pH.
Conclusion
From the experiment and data from the results, it shows that the hypothesis stated of, ‘If the Mylanta liquid is added to the Hydrochloric acid at 10ml, then the pH after three minutes will be closer to the neutral level (7) than 5ml, because there is more solution to react.’ Is correct due to the graphs and tables shown in the results.