Question

A pain killer, such as Tylenol, can be purchased into two forms in which each form

contains the same amount of drug. One form is a solid coated pill and the other is a
capsule that contains tiny beads and has the same coat. Which medication will act
faster? Explain.

Answer 1

To determine which form of Tylenol will act faster we need to determine what form will dissolve quicker.

The medication in the form of the capsule with tiny beads is likely to act faster than the solid coated pill. This is because the capsule with tiny beads has a larger surface area available for absorption compared to the solid coated pill. When a person ingests the medication it is important it dissolves quickly and absorbs into the bloodstream. In the case of the tiny beads, the individual beads provide a large surface area in comparison to the solid coated pill. Each bead has its own surface area and together has a larger surface area than the pill.