Question

maalox is a liquid antacid, while tums and rolaids are soilids that dissolve slowly in water after and antacid tablet is chewed or swalloed, it typically will remain in the stomach for about an hour. based on this information, what advantage might maalox have over the tablet antacids

Answer 1

Maalox, being a liquid antacid, may work faster than tablet antacids because it does not need time to dissolve. Antacids neutralize stomach acid through a neutralization reaction, such as when calcium carbonate in Tums reacts with HCl to form a salt, water, and CO2.

Step-by-step explanation:

The main advantage Maalox may have over tablet antacids like Tums and Rolaids is that being a liquid, Maalox can act more quickly as it does not need to dissolve slowly like the tablets. Antacids work by neutralizing stomach acid through a neutralization reaction where alkaline ions in antacids react with the hydrochloric acid (HCl) in the stomach.

For example, calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which is the main ingredient in Tums, reacts with HCl in a simple proton transfer reaction to form calcium chloride (CaCl2), water (H2O), and carbon dioxide (CO2): CaCO3(s) + 2HCl(aq) → CaCl2(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g). Similarly, aluminium hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide antacids also react with stomach acid but without significantly raising the stomach's pH above 7, avoiding further acid production.