Chemistry Fun Fact - Carbonic Acid.

In Chemistry Made Easy, our goal is to make you understand Chemistry in a very simple and funny but analogous way. 💃 

And today we will share the Chemistry behind the cultural and religious belief of exhaling in a drinking glass or cup while drinking water. 

It is culturally and morally abnormal to exhale or breathe out inside the cup of water that you are drinking, and so religiously.  

 

Source: Best way of drinking water

But any scientific reason to back it up? Yes, definitely! 

By exhaling in the cup of water you are taking, you are indirectly reacting (mixing ) water and carbon(iv) oxide (the gas that you breathe out) together.

Water as a compound (H₂O) when combine with CO₂ produce carbonic acid, a weak inorganic acid, as shown by the reaction below:

 

H₂O + CO₂ ⇌ H₂CO₃ 

Although the acid is not considered toxic and its concentration is very low but this implies that you are not taking 100% pure water. It is a little bit contaminated. 

So, how best should we drink water without contaminating it with carbonic acid? Drink from a bottle, as in bottle water, use a straw to sip and you may also use a covered glass with small opening. In the event where it becomes necessary that you must use open cup or container, be cautious. Do not breath out in the water as you drink it, otherwise you will be taking Water + carbonic acid.

NB: Carbonic acid is not considered harzadous to life but when exposed to high concentration, it is toxic! 

Interesting, huh? Kindly leave us a comment below and share with others. Thank  you