Chemical fountain

Principle

Some gases such as hydrogen chloride dissolve readily in water. For example, 1 litre of water at 20 °C can dissolve approximately 443 litres of hydrogen chloride. For example, vacuum builds up quickly in a closed flask when the gas comes in contact with water, because the gas dissolves in the water and additional water is drawn into the flask. This is the basis of how the chemical fountain works - an exciting way to demonstrate the solubility of gases in water.

Tasks

Show the great solubility of hydrochloric acid in water using the chemical fountain.

Learning objectives

• Solubility of hydrogen chloride
• Chemical fountain

• Different solubility of gases in water

• Introduction to the acid-base reaction

• formation of a low pressure