Antacids (1 Viewer)

hcl

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Why isnt sodium hydroxide NaOH used as an antacid?
 

Frigid

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:confused: as far as i know, NaOH is used as an ingredient inside antacids...
 

wogboy

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They usually put weaker bases such as:

- Na2CO3 (sodium carbonate);
- CaCO3 (calcium carbonate);
- sometimes Mg(OH)2 (magnesium hydroxide, sometimes called "milk of magnesia")

Note the important difference between "strong/weak" base and "concentrated/dilute" basic solution, they have a very different meaning.
 
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+:: $i[Q]u3 ::+

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its' jus too strong, u'll end up with a hole in urself.
also, there's the risk you''ll end up with too much base in you creating an alkalinity problem. sodium carbonate is amphiprotic so it can act as both an acid and a base.. so it buffers out the strong acid and any excess base.
 

jims

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bit late, but NaOH is water soluble so it will dissolve ur mouth n food pipe before it gets to ur stomach. Al(OH)3 n others r insoluble in water so do not react until it hits the acid.
 

mitochondria

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Umm.. as far as I know antacid does not only refer to stomach remedy (??) Anyways, Hydroxides and Carbonates are often used in antacids, and a buffer is usually added in the production of antacid to neutralis any excess base/acid. And.. NaOh is used in antacid (yup frigid!), and it wouldn't hurt you if you have a mild concentration of it! It's not like you are taking NaOH tablets or something.. there are other ingredients...
 

iambored

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NaOH is a strong base right?
if your'e in a chemist - andrews antacids, are calcium carbonate! and they aren't that strong
 

Ragerunner

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MYLANTA - Each tablet contains Magnesium Hydroxide, Aluminium Hydroxide-DRIED, Simethicone...

they all sound pretty poisonous to me though :D
 

mitochondria

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Originally posted by Ragerunner
MYLANTA - Each tablet contains Magnesium Hydroxide, Aluminium Hydroxide-DRIED, Simethicone...

they all sound pretty poisonous to me though :D
DEAD MAN WALKING! *ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!*
 

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