How to make Sherbet

Making sherbet is a great practical activity to show students the action of an acid on a carbonate.
When acids react with carbonates like bicarb of soda, carbon dioxide gas is produced.
General equation: Acid + metal carbonate → salt + water + carbon dioxide gas
Method:
- Grind 2 tablespoons of sugar with ½ teaspoon of citric acid in a clean mortar and pestle.
- Add 2 tablespoons of icing sugar, 2 teaspoons of flavoured jelly crystals and ½ teaspoon of bicarb of soda. Mix together.
- Place the mixture into a plastic locking bag and shake. Eat with a paddle pop stick.
Questions:
What puts the whiz in your fizz?
Citric acid + bicarb of soda → sodium citrate + water + carbon dioxide
HX + NaHCO3 → NaX + H2O + ___________
Which compound contains the carbonate group? _____________
The fizz is produced by the action of an _____________ (anagram: cida) on a carbonate.
____________ ____________ gas is produced.
This is the gas that puts the whiz into your fizz!