Which form of a sodium bicarbonate tablet will have the greatest surface area exposed to reactants?

• A. Whole tablet
• B. Tablet dissolved in water
• C. Tablet broken in half
• D. Powdered tablet

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that surface area is the total area of the exposed surface of a solid that can come into contact with reactants.
2. Recognize that breaking a solid into smaller pieces increases its surface area because more surfaces are exposed.
3. Compare the options: a whole tablet has the least surface area exposed, breaking it in half increases surface area, dissolving it in water disperses it but does not necessarily increase surface area in solid form, and powdering the tablet creates many tiny particles with the greatest total surface area.
4. Recall that powdered solids have the highest surface area because the particles are very small and numerous, maximizing exposure to reactants.
5. Conclude that the powdered tablet form will have the greatest surface area exposed to reactants, making it react faster or more completely.