Ever wondered why your favorite sodas and sparkling beverages are so delightfully bubbly?
The answer lies in the fascinating world of the solubility of gas in water. Yes, the gas also dissolves in water. Some dissolve less while others dissolve more.
The Oxygen gas is not good at dissolving in water. While the carbon dioxide has high solubility, especially at higher pressures like done in carbonated bottles.
The chart below describes the solubility of gas and why Carbon dioxide is the king of fizziness.
| Gas | Solubility | Fizziness with H2O |
| Ammonia (NH3), Sulfur dioxide (SO2) | Highly soluble | Nope, too dangerous! |
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) | High solubility | Woohoo! The fizz king! |
| Oxygen (O2) | Moderate solubility | Barely any bubbles, party pooper! |
| Nitrogen (N2), Helium (He), Neon (Ne), Argon (Ar) | Low solubility | Don’t bother showing up, no room! |
How Much Soluble:
In general, the solubility or fizziness with Oxygen gas will be 25 to 35 times lesser than that of Carbon Dioxide gas. It’s not that simple, but you will get nearly zero fizziness with Oxygen.
The exact value of solubility can be calculated by Henry’s law, which describes how much gas will remain soluble. It also depends on temperature, pressure, acidity, and salinity, along with the type of gas used.
Table at : 1 atm (Normal Atmospheric Pressure) (Source)
| Temperature (°C) | 0 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| Solubility Ratio (CO2/O2) | 35 | 33 | 31 | 30 | 28 | 26 |
Limited Choices: CO2 is the KING
Ammonia gas is an even more soluble gas than carbon dioxide. But you wouldn’t want to drink an ammonia drink; it will have a rotten egg smell and will definitely kill you.
Hence, with a limited choice of putting gas in drinks, carbon dioxide is the best in terms of fizziness.
Carbon dioxide also dissolves in water to form a weak acid called carbonic acid. This carbonic acid water has a sour taste, whereas normal water tastes flat. So, there is no other choice but to use carbon dioxide gas. Hence, the name suggests carbonation.
Bonus Facts:
- The pressure in a soda bottle is about 3 to 5 times the pressure of the atmosphere; that’s why it explodes with bubbles when you open it!
- Did you know carbonation was accidentally discovered? In 1772, Joseph Priestley hung a bowl of water over a vat of fermenting beer. The water absorbed the CO2 from the beer and became bubbly, voila!
- Some sodas use nitrogen gas alongside CO2 to create smaller, softer bubbles. Think of it as CO2 inviting Nitrogen to co-host the bubble party!