Brent Owens Davina Felix

 The Process of Scientific Inquiry has often left us with headaches  People use acetominophen as a pain reliever but we want to find out which one will work the fastest when you digest it!

 Gastric (Stomach) Acid  Has a pH level between  Lemon Juice has pH of 2 (Vinegar had 3)

 500ML BEAKER  LEMON JUICE  500 mg Equate brand ACETAMINOPHEN (GELCAP, TABLET, CAPLET  COFFEE FILTER  STOPWATCH  SCALE  P.H. STRIPS

 1. Weigh the 500 mg Equate brand acetaminophen caplet, tablet, and gel cap separately on a scale (record data).  2.Fill 3 graduated cylinders with 50 ml of lemon juice (pH of 2).  3.Drop the 3 medication forms in separate graduated cylinders and begin timer.  4. Time for 10 minutes  5. Drain out the remaining medication by tilting the beaker.  6. Leave on coffee filters to dry for 15 minutes.  7. Retrieve final weight of acetaminophen (record data)

 We originally planned to include the gel cap in our experiment but we found that retrieving it from the beaker was a problem. In 10 minutes the coating was still intact and very sticky. It held the fluid making it difficult to weigh differences, even after we allowed it time to dry. Drug Form Initial Weight Trial 1Trial 2Trial 3 Caplet 0.6g0.5g Tablet 0.6g0.5g0.4g Gelcap 0.6g0.8g 0.7g

 The low acidity level did not make the acetaminophen dissolve faster

 Before beginning this inquiry process we were using water instead of lemon juice. While using water with a neutral pH of 8 the caplet and tablet were completely dissolved in 10 minutes, but in an acid with a pH of 2 (lemon juice) it did not. We needed a pH of 2 because this is the pH closest to that of the stomach where the medication begins to digest

 Claim: The water will neutralize the acidic stomach, causing the acetaminophen to dissolve more quickly.

 1.Weigh the 500 mg Equate brand acetaminophen caplet and tablet separately on a scale (record data)  2.Fill 2 graduated cylinders with 50 ml of lemon juice (pH of 2)  3.Add 150 ml of water and stir for 20 seconds  4. Drop the 2 medication forms in separate graduated cylinders and begin timer  5.Time for 10 minutes  6.Drain out the remaining medication by tilting the beaker  7.Leave acetaminophen on coffee filters to dry for 15 minutes  8.Retrieve final weight of acetaminophen (record data)

Drug Form Initial Weight Trial 1Trial 2Trial 3 Caplet 0.6g0.5g0.4g0.6g Tablet 0.6g0.5g0.4g0.6g

 Claim: The acetaminophen will dissolve even faster.

 1.Weigh the 500 mg Equate brand acetaminophen caplet and tablet separately on a scale (record data)  2.Fill 2 graduated cylinders with 50 ml of lemon juice (pH of 2)  3.Add 500 ml of water and stir for 20 seconds  4. Drop the 2 medication forms in separate graduated cylinders and begin timer  5.Time for 10 minutes  6.Drain out the remaining medication by tilting the beaker  7.Leave acetaminophen on coffee filters to dry for 15 minutes  8.Retrieve final weight of acetaminophen (record data)

Drug Form Initial Weight Trial 1Trial 2Trial 3 Caplet 0.6g0.5g Tablet 0.6g0.2gdissolved0.5g This claim was supported! If you drink more water with pain reliever, it will work faster

 Claim: The medication will not work as fast and will dissolve more slowly.

 1.Weigh the 500 mg Equate brand acetaminophen caplet and tablet separately on a scale (record data)  2.Fill 2 graduated cylinders with 50 ml of lemon juice (pH of 2)  3.Add 1 tablespoon of granulated store bought SUGAR and stir for 20 seconds  4. Drop the 2 medication forms in separate graduated cylinders and begin timer  5.Time for 10 minutes  6.Drain out the remaining medication by tilting the beaker  7.Leave acetaminophen on coffee filters to dry for 15 minutes  8.Retrieve final weight of acetaminophen (record data)

Or with a serving size of apple juice (sugar solution) Notice that only the tablet was affected. Drug Form Initial Weight Trial 1Trial 2Trial 3 Caplet 0.6g Tablet 0.6g 0.5g With granulated store bought sugar Drug Form Initial Weight Trial 1Trial 2Trial 3 Caplet 0.6g Tablet 0.6g 0.4g0.5g

Carnauba Wax Derived from the leaves of the palm Copernica Prunifera. Used to coat candy and medicines. Because of the sugary properties of this leaf, the tablet is more soluble in a sugary solution.

 If you have a sugary diet the acetaminophen will work more slowly.  The sugary coating of the tablet will dissolve quickly but the drugs effects will be slowed.  Also many sugary fruit juices “appear to make some drugs less effective, and may even wipe out their potential benefits” (Dreisbach)

 1.Weigh the 500 mg Equate brand acetaminophen caplet and tablet separately on a scale (record data)  2.Fill 2 graduated cylinders with 50 ml of lemon juice (pH of 2)  3.Add 1 tablespoon of Morton brand table SALT and stir for 20 seconds  4. Drop the 2 medication forms in separate graduated cylinders and begin timer  5.Time for 10 minutes  6.Drain out the remaining medication by tilting the beaker  7.Leave acetaminophen on coffee filters to dry for 15 minutes  8.Retrieve final weight of acetaminophen (record data)

The caplet was no match for the salt solution. Drug Form Initial Weight Trial 1Trial 2Trial 3 Caplet 0.6gDissolved Tablet 0.6g If you have a salty diet, the caplet will work the fastest for you!

Magnesium Stearate (Also called magnesium salt) When the caplet is further saturated with salts it will speed up the break down of the pill.

 When the other two had dissolved, the gel cap still had not!  The “caps” were just put on to make it easier to swallow. We could pull them right off!

Bibliography Dasani. (2012). Retrieved November 2012, from Inc., W. (2012). Walmart. Retrieved November 2012, from Walmart Equate: LLP, M. (2012). Mott's. Retrieved November 2012, from

 Acids and Bases. Acids. Retrieved from Web. Used 17 Nov  Dicentra: Regulatory and Scientific Solutions. 18 June Magnesium Stearate-Update. Retrieve from consultants/magnesium-stearate-update.  Dreisbach, S. Parenting. New Reasons to Avoid Juice with Medicine. Retrieved from avoid-juice-with-medicine. Web. Used 17 Nov  Helmenstine, A. M. About.com Chemistry. What is Carnauba Wax? Retrieved from Web. Used 25 Nov  The Human Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract. 20 October Absorption in the Stomach. Retrieved from  Loomis Enzymes Family of Companies. Digestion in the Stomach. Retrieved from the-stomach. Web. Used 25 Nov 2012.