MadSci Network: General Biology |
A question about experimenting with stomach acid. You are correct that the stomach produces hydrochloric acid as part of the digestion process. Although you say that you want to do an experiment with hydrochloric acid, you don’t say what kind of experiment you have in mind. How dangerous is hydrochloric acid? Very. Can you dilute the acid enough so that it is no longer as dangerous? Yes, but you would still be starting with the dangerous stuff. Would the diluted acid still work for your experiment? I don’t know, since I don’t know what kind of experiment you want to do. I can tell you that, as far as digestion goes, enzymes are more important than acids. You can get several types of enzymes to easily, and safely, use for your experiment. Certain types of meat tenderizers and laundry detergents (the ones that specialize in removing blood or grass stains) contain enzymes. If you really want to experiment with acids, may I suggest lemon juice, vinegar, or even soda pop (which can be a very strong acid). All of these can be purchased in your local grocery store. They are all a lot safer to use than hydrochloric acid. And, in the long run, they may actually be more useful in your experiments.
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