Research question: Does the concentration (mol dm3) of sulphur dioxide in wine rise or fall when exposed to air for different time periods (0, 75,150,225, 300 minutes)?
Purpose:
Many adults enjoy the consumption of wine but are not aware of the different preservatives and chemicals that are added to the drink. Sulphur Dioxide, which is added to many food products including wine because it acts as a reductant, is ‘well known as a poisonous and allergenic substance (Eco-consult, n.d), making it a somewhat harmful ingredient. The purpose of this experiment is to determine how the amount of sulphur dioxide in white wine is affected by the exposure to the air over different time periods and whether this will negatively or positively affect the human body.
The boiling point of sulphur dioxide is -10˚C, therefore when it is above this temperature it is expected to evaporate. …show more content…
The results show that the concentration of SO2 increases as the wine is left exposed to the air for longer periods of time. This is seen in the amount of mol dm3 of SO2 which increases slightly as the wine is left out for longer. These results did not conform to the hypothesis; this difference could be a result of the percentage error in the equipment, and the systematic error. The results for each trial only varied slightly therefore the narrow time limit could have affected the results, there may have been a larger difference of SO2 if the experiment was conducted over a larger period of time. If this was the problem then it can be seen that over short periods of time the concentration of SO2 does not change very much. This means that wine will take longer to oxidise and will have antibacterial properties for a longer time, making it retain its flavour and quality for a longer