How to Make CO₂: 13 Steps (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-15 08:07

CO₂ is the chemical symbol for carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide produces the sizzling sound in soda and many alcoholic beverages, the impetus that makes bread rise, the fuel in some aerosols, and pressurized gas in fire extinguishers. CO₂ It can be produced intentionally or as a by-product of another chemical reaction.

Step

Part 1 of 2: Making CO₂ at home

Step 1. Take a 2 liter plastic bottle

Use plastic bottles, not glass bottles; if you have to apply enough pressure to shatter the bottle, plastic bottles won't explode like glass bottles.

If you plan to use CO₂ produced, to supply carbon dioxide to the plants in your aquarium, this bottle size will provide enough supply for a 25 gallon (94.64 liter) aquarium.

Step 2. Add 2 cups (473. 18 ml) of sugar

Use raw sugar, not refined sugar, as refined sugar is made up of more complex sugars, which will make the yeast take longer to break down. In addition, raw sugar is also cheaper.

Step 3. Using warm water, fill the bottle until it curves near the neck of the bottle

Warm tap water can be used, but hot water will kill the yeast.

Step 4. Add 1/2 teaspoon (2.46 ml) of sodium bicarbonate

Sodium bicarbonate is the main ingredient in baking soda and is available in many stores.

Step 5. Add 1/2 teaspoon (2.46 ml) of any yeast extract

If you have yeast extract, it will help the yeast last longer.

An example of a yeast extract is Vegemite, which is found in Australia. Other yeast extracts include Bovril, Cenovis, and Marmite

Step 6. Add 1/3 teaspoon (1.64 ml) of yeast

Brewed yeast lasts longer than baked yeast. However, baked yeast is quite durable for the reaction and is less expensive than brewed yeast.

Step 7. Close the bottle tightly

Step 8. Shake the bottle to mix the yeast and sugar evenly

You will see some foam on the surface of the water.

Step 9. Open the bottle cap

Step 10. Wait for 2 to 12 hours

The water will start to bubble during this time, indicating that the CO₂ is being released. If you don't see bubbles after 12 hours, then your water is too hot or your yeast has gone dormant.

Your solution should bubble up to 2 bubbles every second. If there are more bubbles, you may destroy the pH of the water

Part 2 of 2: Other Ways to Produce CO₂

Step 1. Exhale

Your body uses the oxygen you breathe to react with the proteins, fatty acids, and carbohydrates you eat. One result of this reaction is the carbon dioxide you exhale.

In contrast, plants and some types of bacteria take carbon dioxide from the air and, with energy from sunlight, make simple sugars (i.e. carbohydrates)

Step 2. Burn something that contains carbon

Life on earth is based on the element carbon. To burn something, you need a spark, a fuel source, and an atmosphere in which to burn it. The oxygen in our atmosphere readily reacts with other substances; put oxygen in the burning carbon, and you get carbon dioxide.

Calcium oxide (CaO), also known as quicklime, can be produced by burning limestone or raw lime, which contains calcium carbonate (CaCO₃). CO₂ released, leaving calcium oxide. (For this reason, this chemical is also known as quicklime.)

Step 3. Mix the chemicals that contain carbon

Carbon and oxygen make up CO₂ found in some chemicals and minerals classified as carbonates or, if hydrogen is present, classified as bicarbonates. Reaction with other chemicals can release CO₂ into the air or mix it with water to form carbonic acid (H₂CO₃). Some possible reactions include:

• Hydrochloric acid (hydrochloric) and calcium carbonate. Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is an acid found in the human stomach. Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) is found in limestone, chalk, eggshell, pearl, and coral, as well as in some antacids. When the two chemicals are mixed, calcium chloride and carbonic acid are formed, and the carbonic acid is split into water and carbon dioxide.
• Vinegar and baking soda. Vinegar is a solution of acetic acid (C₂H₄O₂), while baking soda is sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃). Mixing the two produces water, sodium acetate, and CO₂, usually in a foamy reaction.
• Methane and water vapor. This reaction is carried out in industry to extract hydrogen using steam at high temperatures. Methane (CH₄) reacts with water vapor (H₂O) to produce hydrogen (H₂) and carbon monoxide (CO), a deadly gas. The carbon monoxide is then mixed with water vapor at low temperatures to produce more hydrogen and convert the carbon monoxide to the safer carbon dioxide.
• Yeast and sugar. When yeast is added to sugar in a solution, as instructed in Part One, the yeast forces the sugar to break down and produce CO₂. This reaction also produces ethanol (C₂H₅OH), a form of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. This reaction is called fermentation.

Tips

To use CO₂ the resulting bottle in your aquarium, you will need to drill a narrow hole in the 2 liter bottle cap, thread a rubber hose through the hole, and glue it properly. You should also have an air valve to prevent the water from being sucked in when the carbon dioxide is released, and a pressure relief to prevent the bottle from exploding if the CO₂ doesn't go away well. Additionally, you can install a bubble counter to check how quickly the carbon dioxide is released.

Warning

Often, CO₂ which are by-products, are produced in too small quantities to capture. Unfortunately, this carbon dioxide, released into the atmosphere in sufficient quantities, will trap the sun's heat and prevent it from returning to space, thereby increasing Earth's temperature. It is considered by many scientists to be the main cause of climate change.