When they mix they react to form a salt, and gas is released as a by-product.
When Alka-Seltzer tablets are put in water, they dissolve and release citric acid and sodium bicarbonate. The citric acid reacts with the sodium bicarbonate to produce carbon dioxide gas, causing the tablet to fizz and dissolve quickly. This reaction helps to relieve indigestion and heartburn.
Alka-Seltzers are a combination of sodium bicarbonate, aspirin, and anhydrous citric acid.
If you look at the ingredients for Alka-Seltzer, you will find that it contains citric acid and sodium bicarbonate(baking soda). When you drop the tablet in water, the acid and the baking soda react -- this produces the fizz.
When citric acid reacts with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in the presence of water, carbon dioxide gas is produced, causing the mixture to fizz and bubble. This reaction is commonly used in baking to leaven dough and create a light texture in baked goods. The overall reaction can be summarized as: citric acid + sodium bicarbonate -> carbon dioxide + water + sodium citrate.
Citric acid and sodium carbonate react to form carbon dioxide gas, water, and sodium citrate. This reaction is commonly used in effervescent tablets to produce fizz when dissolved in water.
Citric acid is a mild acid, and sodium bicarbonate is a mild base. When you combine the two in H2O, the acid reacts with the bicarbonate releasing carbon dioxide gas (and I think forming sodium citrate) and neutralizes the solution. This gas is the "fizz-fizz" that follows the "plop-plop" in the Alka-Seltzer ad, and it is the reason why it is called Alka- SELTZER. I'm not a chemist, but I suspect the sodium citrate is a harmless byproduct rather than a useful medicine. Sodium citrate is mostly used as a chelate or antioxydant in prepared foods and medications. By the way, the active ingredient in this formulation is 325 mg aspirin. I'm not sure how aspirin helps indigestion since it irritates a lot of people's stomachs. But I think the idea behind the acid/base reaction is to have some of that fizz enter the stomach where it will become trapped eventually causing you to belch.
When Sprite, a carbonated beverage, is mixed with Alka-Seltzer, a medication containing citric acid and sodium bicarbonate, a chemical reaction occurs. The citric acid in the Alka-Seltzer reacts with the sodium bicarbonate to produce carbon dioxide gas. This gas is released as bubbles, causing the Sprite to fizz and bubble up rapidly. This reaction is similar to the fizzing that occurs when Alka-Seltzer is dissolved in water, but the carbonation in the Sprite enhances the effect.
ENO powders, and other medical effervescents, are made to fizz through a combination of an acid and a water-soluble alkali that contains carbonate or bicarbonate, in addition to the active ingredient used for the medical curation. The reaction between the acid and the alkali has Carbon Dioxide as a by-product, which causes the 'fizz' effect. In the case of ENO, it is: H3C6H5O7 (aq) + 3NaHCO3 (s) → 3 CO2 + 3 H2O(l) + Na3C6H5O7 (aq) The 'HCO3' in the second reactant (left of arrow) represents the Bicarbonate in this reaction. The first reactant is the acid, known as citric acid, found naturally in citrus fruits. It can also be written C6H8O7
ENO contains a combination of citric acid and sodium bicarbonate, which react to produce carbon dioxide gas, causing the effervescent reaction when added to water. This release of gas creates bubbles and fizz, helping to neutralize stomach acid and provide relief from indigestion and acidity.
If you look at the ingredients for Alka-Seltzer, you will find that it contains citric acid and sodium bicarbonate(baking soda). When you drop the tablet in water, the acid and the baking soda react -- this produces the fizz.
Alka seltzer is technically both. It is a dry mixture of sodium bicarbonate (a base) and citric acid (an acid). When mixed with water, the acid and base react with each other and produce carbon dioxide (the fizz), and sodium citrate.
Citric acid gives a lemon or orange flavor . Carbonating adds fizz to a liquid.