We had a day this week to use for lab work so to keep their skills honed I challenged the students to determine the exact amount of magnesium carbonate they would need to react with hydrochloride acid in a bag in order to just deflate it.
They needed to work out the chemical reaction products and then recall some stoichiometry facts and finally to measure everything precisely. Oh and they had to figure out how to keep the solid and liquid from mixing in the bag until it is completely sealed.
It took some trial and error but both groups made a good effort and nobody’s bag ruptured. Here are some pictures of them at work.
