Why is Co2 filled in Sodastream while we try to avoid Co2?
In: Earth Science
CO2 is included in sodas because it reacts with water to form carbonic acid, resulting in the characteristic “bite” of carbonated drinks. If there wasn’t CO2 included in the SodaStream product then I don’t really know what it would be doing.
We of course don’t want to be breathing too much carbon dioxide or producing too much through industry, but capturing some to put in our drinks really isn’t a big deal.
CO2 dissolves very easily in water compared to other gases like Oxygen or Nitrogen, you can get almost 100 times more CO2 to dissolve in water than Nitrogen.
That’s what allows for the carbonation effect, ie makes fizzy drinks possible.
The CO2 also forms carbonic acid which gives that distinctive bite that fizzy drinks have.
The reason it’s safe is that there isn’t nearly enough in a drink to poison you by breathing it in.
An interesting comparison is when doctors are performing laparoscopic surgery on you, they inflate your belly with CO2. They are literally pumping it into a cavity in your body and that doesn’t kill you either mostly because you are getting plenty of Oxygen and you body has the ability to filter and pump it out.
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