Using Demonstrations Involving Combustion and Acid–Base Chemistry To Show Hydration of Carbon Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, and Magnesium Oxide and Their Relevance for Environmental Climate Science

• Published in: Journal of chemical education Vol. 93; no. 12; pp. 2063 - 2067
• Main Authors: Shaw, C. Frank, Webb, James W, Rothenberger, Otis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Easton American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc 13.12.2016; Division of Chemical Education, Inc and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society; American Chemical Society
• Subjects: Acid-base neutralization; Acidic oxides; Acidification; Atmospheric chemistry; BASIC (programming language); Basic oxides; Carbon dioxide; Chemistry; Climate; Climate change; Climate science; College Science; Combustion; Demonstrations (Educational); Environmental chemistry; Environmental Education; Fossil fuels; Fuel combustion; Greenhouse effect; Greenhouse gases; Hydration; Introductory Courses; Kinetics; Magnesium; Magnesium oxide; Neutralization; Oceans; Organic chemistry; Oxides; Reaction kinetics; Science Education; Scientific Concepts; Secondary School Science; Sulfur; Sulfur dioxide; Superconductors (materials); Visual observation; High School; First-Year Undergraduate; Analogies; Introductory Chemistry; Acids; Transfer; General; Demonstrations; Bases; Environmental Chemistry
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.6b00310
• ISSN: 0021-9584

The nature of acidic and basic (alkaline) oxides can be easily illustrated via a series of three straightforward classroom demonstrations for high school and general chemistry courses. Properties of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and magnesium oxide are revealed inexpensively and safely. Additionally, the very different kinetics of hydration of SO2 (rapid) and CO2 (slow) are evident. The pH changes observed by use of universal indicator provide striking visual evidence that makes the concepts of acidic and basic oxides less abstract and more concrete than verbal or written descriptions alone. By using the MgO solution for the SO2 hydration reaction, one can mimic environmental interactions that lead to the neutralization of alkaline and acidic species. Interestingly, the SO2 and CO2 demonstrations can easily be adapted to environmental chemistry courses and especially the very relevant realm of climate change science. The difference in hydration rates explains why CO2 is a greenhouse gas, but SO2 is not listed as one. Variations of the CO2 hydration demonstration reveal the sensitivity of oceans to acidification by dissolved CO2 and the relationship of fossil fuel combustion to ocean acidification.