Question

You want to dissolve as much carbon dioxide gas as possible into a water solution. How would you achieve the in a laboratory setting?

Answer 1

Simply hurl some card ice into a beaker of water.

Explanation:

Of course, the card ice will sublime into the water; you will see the bubbles. Of course, the water will cool down significantly. Alternatively, take a needle and attach it to a cylinder of `CO_2` and give it a good bubbling.

Failing that, buy a bottle of carbonated mineral water. This is certainly saturated with respect to `CO_2(g)`, as witnessed by the bubbles when you take off the cap (in fact it is pressured up to `1-2*atm` carbon dioxide). Since such water is for human consumption, the dissolved gas will be very pure. Of course, don't drink the contents after you start taking pipettes of water out of it.

What will be the `pH` of the saturated solution? Will it be acidic? If you find out, report the result back here.