Advantages And Disadvantages Of Bath Bombs

Although people enjoy bath bombs, many people are allergic to some of the main ingredients in them. The objective in this experiment is to find alternatives to some of these main ingredients and to find the ingredient that causes the bath bomb to fizz the most and the fastest. Our hypothesis states that if the cornstarch, lemon juice, and cream of tartar bath bombs are compared to citric acid bath bombs by measuring the temperature change of water when they react, then lemon juice bath bombs will react most like the citric acid bath bombs, and temperature of the water will drop two degrees. To complete the experiment, we took the twelve bath bombs out of their molds, measured the mass of the plastic cups, put one bath bomb in the plastic cup

at a time to measure its mass, filled a 2000 mL container with 1000 mL of water, measured the temperature of the water before a bath bomb was placed in it, and finally a bath bomb was placed in the water and the temperature of water was taken as the reaction occurred in intervals of ten seconds, zero to hundred. The process was repeated for the remaining bath bombs. There were three bath bombs of each of the four main ingredients (twelve total): citric acid, lemon juice, cornstarch, and cream of tartar. In general, the four types of bath bombs decreased the temperature of the water as the time increased. Discussion

Introduction
In the world today, many people enjoy the sensation of bath bombs for its relaxing feeling and amazing aroma.

Although people enjoy them, many people are allergic to some of the main ingredients in bath bombs. The objective is to find alternatives to some of these main ingredients and to find the ingredient that causes the bath bomb to fizz the most and the fastest. The different ingredients were lemon juice, cornstarch, and cream of tartar. In each bath bomb, baking soda, sodium bicarbonate, was used. Baking soda is used because of its alkaline properties and based on each ingredient, it will react differently (“Sodium Bicarbonate” Hyperphysics). Citric acid is a white solid crystal found in fruits such as oranges, lemons, etc. When baking soda and citric acid combine, a reaction occurs, and once this mixture touches water, it fizzes, pops, and creates bubbles. The chemical equation for this reaction is C6H8O7+ 3NaHCO3 -> CO2 + H2O + CH3COONa. The formation of bubbles is from the carbon dioxide released from the reaction (“Fizzy Sherbert”). Lemon juice, commonly using for its cleaning properties, was another alternative ingredient. When lemon juice and baking soda combine, it causes a chemical reaction. Once they combine, they begin to fizz due to the carbon dioxide being released (Rogers, “Lemon Fizz”). Another alternative was cream of tartar because of the fact that it reacts well with baking soda. When the two react and are put in water, new molecules form such as

carbon dioxide, which will cause the fizzing of the bath bombs (“Raising Agents: Chemical”). The last alternative tested was cornstarch. Once cornstarch and baking soda are mixed, they form a doughy like consistency that holds shape. When cornstarch is mixed with water, a certain appearance and feel is shown that is unique. Ooze, the water that contains tiny particles of cornstarch in it, does not act like any normal liquid, so it is called a non-Newtonian fluid (“Non-Newtonian fluids”). Our hypothesis states that if the cornstarch, lemon juice, and cream of tartar bath bombs are compared to citric acid bath bombs by measuring the temperature change of water when they react, then lemon juice bath bombs will react most like the citric acid bath bombs, and temperature of the water will drop two degrees.
Methods and Materials
To start the experiment, we used safety googles as a precaution.

Then, we took the twelve bath bombs out of the molds. There were four different kinds: citric acid, lemon juice, cornstarch, and cream of tartar. Three bath bombs of each of the four kinds to have three trials to ensure the consistency of the experiment. 1000 mL of room temperature tap water was put into a 2000 mL container that was used to allow the bath bombs to react. We plugged in the balance and zeroed it. We then placed an empty plastic cup on the balance to calculate its mass. Once calculated, the balance was tarred and the lemon juice bath bomb was placed in the plastic cup and the mass of each was recorded. Before putting a bath bomb into the water, the temperature of the water was taken using a temperature probe and that temperature was recorded. Then the bath bomb was placed in the water for a total of one hundred seconds. The temperature of the water was recorded in ten second intervals, zero to one hundred, as the reaction of each kind of bath bomb was taking place. Observations were recorded before, during, and after the reaction was completed. Once the one hundred seconds were over, the water was poured out, and the container of water was cleaned. For each type of bath bomb, we made sure each had the same mass before being tested. This process was repeated for each of the following bath bombs, and a new cup was used for each new bath bomb. Once all of the data was collected and recorded for

all of the bath bombs, the mean, median, mode, range, and standard deviation was calculated using a calculator. The best answer was then calculated by calculating the mean plus or minus the standard deviation.
Results
Before each bath bomb reacted in the water, they were all white and solid in the molds. During the reaction process, each bath bomb made the water cloudy. The lemon juice bath bomb fizzed for a few seconds, fell apart, and then it finally began settling to the bottom of the container. The cornstarch fizzed a slight bit more than the lemon juice bath bomb, but also broke apart and settled to the bottom. The cream of tartar bath bomb fizzed a considerable amount more than the previous ones. This reaction created a layer of bubbles that covered the surface of the water. Finally, the citric acid bath bomb made the loudest popping noises and fizzed the most. During the reaction, it also made a layer of foam on the surface of the water.
In the first trial of the citric acid bath bomb, the temperature started at 21.8 degrees Celsius and dropped to 19.7 degrees Celsius. In the second trial, the temperature started at 21.7 degrees Celsius and dropped to 20.4 degrees Celsius. In the last trial of citric acid bath bomb, the temperature started at 21.7 degrees Celsius and decreased to 19.3 degrees Celsius (refer to Figure 1 and Data Table 1). In the first trial of the lemon juice bath bomb, the temperature began at 21.9 degrees Celsius and decreased to 20.6 degrees Celsius. In the second trial, the temperature started at 21.6 degrees Celsius and dropped to 19.5 degrees Celsius. In the last trial of lemon juice bath bomb, the temperature started at 21.8 degrees Celsius and lowered to 20.0 degrees Celsius (refer to Figure 2 and Data Table 2). In the first trial of the cornstarch bath bomb, the temperature began at 21.0 degrees Celsius and dropped to 19.5 degrees Celsius. In the second trial, the temperature started at 21.3 degrees Celsius and decreased to 19.9 degrees Celsius. In the last trial of cornstarch bath bomb, the temperature started at 21.7 degrees Celsius and fell to 19.2 degrees Celsius (refer to Figure 3 and Data Table 3). In the first trial of the cream of tartar bath bomb, the temperature started at 21.5 degrees Celsius and dropped to 17.4 degrees Celsius. In the second trial, the temperature started at 21.8 degrees Celsius and dropped to 17.9 degrees Celsius. In the last trial of cream of tartar bath bomb, the temperature started at 21.7 degrees Celsius and decreased to 18.3 degrees Celsius (refer to Figure 4 and Data Table 4).