What would happen with the lab IF rather than powder NaHCO3 we used a whole alka seltzer tablet? Remember it would have the same chemical make up, but have a smaller surface area.

A. The rate of the reaction would speed up
B. The rate of the reaction would slow down

B. The rate of the reaction would slow down.

When the whole Alka Seltzer tablet is used instead of powder NaHCO3, the rate of the reaction would slow down because the larger surface area of the tablet would inhibit the reaction compared to the finely powdered NaHCO3. The smaller surface area of the tablet would limit the contact between the reactants, reducing the rate at which the reaction occurs.

The rate of the reaction would slow down.

When a chemical reaction occurs, the reactant's particles need to come into contact with each other in order to react. In this case, NaHCO3 reacts with various components in the lab.

Using a whole Alka Seltzer tablet instead of powder NaHCO3 would reduce the surface area of the reactant. With a smaller surface area, there would be less area available for the reactant particles to come into contact with the other components in the lab.

As a result, the rate of the reaction would slow down because there would be fewer opportunities for the reactant particles to collide and react, compared to using a larger surface area of powder NaHCO3.

Therefore, the correct answer is B. The rate of the reaction would slow down.

To determine what would happen with the lab if a whole Alka Seltzer tablet was used instead of powder NaHCO3, we need to consider the factors that influence the rate of a reaction.

The surface area of a reactant plays a crucial role in increasing the rate of a chemical reaction. When a substance has a larger surface area, there is more area available for reactants to come into contact and react with each other, leading to a faster reaction rate.

In the case of using a whole Alka Seltzer tablet, which has a smaller surface area compared to powder NaHCO3, the rate of the reaction would likely slow down. This is because the smaller surface area of the tablet would limit the contact between the reactants, thereby reducing the number of effective collisions and slowing down the reaction.

Therefore, the answer to your question is B. The rate of the reaction would slow down if a whole Alka Seltzer tablet was used instead of powder NaHCO3, even though they have the same chemical makeup.