since carbon dioxide is tasteless, why does carbonated water still have an identifiable “taste” many days after it’s been opened, when the bubbles have long since disappeared?

Question

since carbon dioxide is tasteless, why does carbonated water still have an identifiable “taste” many days after it’s been opened, when the bubbles have long since disappeared?

In: 16

Answer 1

A quick google search finds that at 1 atmosphere pressure, at 300 K temperature, the pH of a saturated solution of C02 in water is about 3.6.

Since pure water has a pH of 7, the flat carbonated water will be more acidic.

Like other people have mentioned, the acidity is caused by carbonic acid.

At higher pressures, the pH can go below 3.

Since pH is measured on a log10 scale, the pH = 3 is a lot more acidic than pH = 3.6 (about 4X more).

Thanks for this question, it was a fun search.

Answer 2

A quick google search finds that at 1 atmosphere pressure, at 300 K temperature, the pH of a saturated solution of C02 in water is about 3.6.

Since pure water has a pH of 7, the flat carbonated water will be more acidic.

Like other people have mentioned, the acidity is caused by carbonic acid.

At higher pressures, the pH can go below 3.

Since pH is measured on a log10 scale, the pH = 3 is a lot more acidic than pH = 3.6 (about 4X more).

Thanks for this question, it was a fun search.