Consumer Chemistry: Properties of Toothpaste

Product Details

The history of teeth cleaning agents actually goes back thousands of years. Toothpaste as we know it today, however, is a comparatively recent development. In this activity, students will investigate several properties of toothpaste samples provided in the kit, including presence of fluoride, pH, abrasiveness, and foaming ability. As a second activity, students will use the included materials to create their own toothpaste. Materials include: 30 ml hydrochloric acid UN1789, 100 ml glycerin, 25 g sodium lauryl sulfate UN1325, 25 g arabic gum, 150 g calcium carbonate, three tubes of toothpaste, 50 universal indicator strips, 50 fluoride test strips, 15 acetate sheets, 45 polystyrene test tubes, 45 graduated plastic pipettes. Contains enough materials for 15 groups. Grades 6-12.