Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. When carbon dioxide dissolves in water (carbonating it like in soda) it becomes carbonic acid.
Watch as the acid indicators change color when the solution goes from basic to neutral to acidic with the addition of dry ice.
Special thanx to my cousins: Stephen and Lydia!
It becomes acidic but does it stay acidic?
davewatcher 3 years ago
It stays acidic so long as the carbon dioxide is still dissolved in it. It's been a couple of weeks and the solution is still in my classroom and yes still acidic. However, it is very blue near the surface of the solution where much of the carbon dioxide has come out of solution. It is actually basic once again near the surface.
bboydru 3 years ago
What would be the proportion of CO2 dissolved? There was a lot of dry ice put in. I'd read that pure carbonic acid H2CO3 was not stable in water.
davewatcher 3 years ago
I'm not sure of the proportion, i wouldn't be surprised if the solution was saturated. But you are correct, carbonic acid is not stable in water, all of it will eventually become CO2 and evolve out of solution. That is exactly what happens when your soda goes flat.
bboydru 3 years ago