Eli5 Why is it that when one takes Tums for Heart Burn, that it feels like you’re burping up carbonation?
In: 9
Because you are. Tums is made of calcium carbonate. It reacts with stomach acid and neutralizes the acid but as a byproduct makes carbon dioxide – the same gas that is used to carbonate beverages.
Tums is made from calcium carbonate (aka chalk but please don’t eat blackboard chalk).
The calcium carbonate reacts with the acid in your stomach to neutralize it and relieve the heartburn. However this reaction creates CO2, which you get rid of by burping.
A similar reaction happens with baking soda and vinegar.