Consumer products known as self-heating foods or self-heating beverages enable food or drink contents to be heated when a chemical reaction or solution process of a salt in water takes place. A variety of these beverages, including different types of coffee (plain, with milk, or cappuccino), hot chocolate, and tea, are easily found at gas stations, airports, and highway rest stops in European countries. In this activity students investigate the heat produced by the dissolution process of calcium chloride in water and use that information to discuss how self-heating containers work to warm food and drink products. By calculating the theoretical change in temperature resulting from the dissolution process of a salt in water and comparing that change to the observed temperature, students can design their own self-heating beverage container.
Supplement
A cutaway diagram of self-heating containers with labels showing how the containers work
Pinto, Gabriel; Oliver-Hoyo, Maria T.; Llorens-Molina, Juan Antonio. J. Chem. Educ.2009, 86, 1280A.
Keywords
Applications of Chemistry; Calorimetry / Thermochemistry; Consumer Chemistry; Demonstrations; First-Year Undergraduate / General; Food Science; Hands-On Learning / Manipulatives; High School / Introductory Chemistry; Inquiry-Based / Discovery Learning; Physical Properties; Problem Solving / Decision Making; Public Understanding / Outreach; Solutions / Solvents; Thermodynamics; Water / Water Chemistry
History
Created:
Last Updated:
9/16/2009
9/25/2009
Caution!
Experiments, laboratory exercises, lecture demonstrations, and other descriptions of the use of chemicals, apparatus, instruments, computers, and computer interfaces are presented in the Journal of Chemical Education as illustrative of new or improved ideas or concepts in chemistry instruction and are directed at qualified teachers. Although every effort is made to assure and encourage safe practices and safe use of chemicals, the Journal of Chemical Education cannot assume responsibility for uses made of its published materials. Many chemicals are hazardous. Precautions for the safe use of hazardous chemicals and directions for their proper disposal are described in the Material Safety Data Sheets and on the labels. We strongly urge all those planning to use materials from our pages to make choices and to develop procedures for laboratory and classroom safety in accordance with local needs and situations.
The "Chemistry Teacher Connection" (CTC) is especially for high school chemistry teachers. For only $40/year, it offers an online-only subscription to CLIC along with membership in the Division of Chemical Education, normally $65/year. CTC subscribers receive access to all articles and supplements from 1996 through the current issue.
Through special arrangement with the ACS, JCE High School CLIC is now able to provide subscribers with online access to Chemical & Engineering News articles that have been selected specifically for secondary science instructors and their students.
Occasionally, collections of JCE back issues become available for donation to individual teachers, schools, or libraries. JCE matches collections with interested recipients. Recipients pay shipping costs or pick up the collection.
Caution! 
Always in the