Question

Considering that calcium carbonate is insoluble in water, how can it be used as a dietary supplement?
A. The energy produced from cellular respiration allows it to dissolve better.
B. Stomach acid reacts with calcium carbonate, leading to calcium ions in the solution and the production of water and carbon dioxide.
C. The sodium-potassium pump absorbs the smaller calcium ions which eject the carbonate ions.
D. The grinding of the calcium carbonate in the mouth causes a larger surface area, leading to a higher reaction rate and increased solubility.

Answer 1

Think about the reason for which sodium carbonate is used as a dietary supplement and in what form does it need to be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Complete step by step solution:
First, let us look at why calcium carbonate is used as a dietary supplement and what mineral it provides our body with and then let us look at each of the options individually and check whether they are feasible or not.
Calcium carbonate is used as a calcium supplement for the strengthening of our bones and teeth, but since it is insoluble in water, it is very difficult to assimilate it into our body and make proper use of it. Now let us look at the options and check which of the given processes are feasible for the uptake of calcium ions.
- Option A
The energy obtained from cellular respiration is used for other important processes in the body like homeostatic equilibrium and other essential life processes. It is not used to make dietary supplements dissolve easily, so this will not be the correct answer.
- Option B
The ingestion of calcium carbonate does include the release of carbon dioxide from our mouth and the present calcium ions are also easily soluble in water and can be taken up by the blood.
- Option C
The sodium potassium pump is made solely for the transfer of sodium and potassium and it cannot transport anything else. Besides, the calcium ion is larger than the sodium ion so it cannot be transported.
- Option D
The calcium carbonate that we ingest is already in powder form and cannot be further broken down into smaller pieces by our teeth, if it is not soluble then increasing the surface area will not affect solubility either.

Hence, from this we can infer that the correct answer to this question is ‘B.

Stomach acid reacts with calcium carbonate, leading to calcium ions in the solution and the production of water and carbon dioxide.’

Note: Remember that while calcium carbonate is used as a dietary supplement, it can be also used to alleviate symptoms like indigestion, acidity, and heartburn. We feel the release of carbon dioxide through our mouth whenever we take an antacid in the form of burping.