dissovle

[gerkin]

Why do dissolvable tablets such as aspirin take 6 times longer to dissolve in Coca-Cola than in water

[j2buttonsw]

Aspirin is salicylic acid and, as such, will have a hard time dissolving in an acidic solution. Coca cola is a phosphoric acid solution so there is your answer.

[shammydodger]

While not wishing to disagree with the thrust of j2's answer, I should lke to point out that aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid, a derivative of salicylic acid and not salicylic acid itself. Aspirin is indeed acidic, though not as acidic as salicylic acid.

[JustSia]

I immediately have 2 questions:

a) What happened with �like dissolves in like�?
b) If aspirin has such tough time dissolving in acid what�s the point of taking it orally? Isn�t the whole idea of it to be dissolved in stomach acid?

Sorry, not very good with chemistry but that�s what the last 2 answers made me think.

S.

[shammydodger]

JustSia

Yes, I must admit the same thoughts had crossed my mind. I am taking gerkin's statement on trust and trying to come up with a sound explanation. Maybe a few very weakly acidic beers, followed by a couple of buffered aspirin, will do the trick :)

[JustSia]

SD, sounds like a great night, lol.

Mind you there is another thing. Although you were right about aspirin being acidic, dissolvable aspirin is basically a sodium salt of aspirin. The first is a covalent compound the second ionic.

Considering water is a polar solvent it readily dissolves ionic compounds.

S.

[shammydodger]

JustSia

Just read your post and you may well speak the truth. But the hour is late and the brain is flooded. I'll give it awhile afore I respond! :)