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Skeletal System: Effects of Different Reagents On Bone

Bones are made up of both mineral and organic components. The mineral component, hydroxyapatite, contains calcium phosphate and makes bones hard and rigid. The organic component, collagen, provides flexibility. Different reagents affect bones in different ways by dissolving either the mineral or organic components. Vinegar dissolves the mineral component by reacting with calcium carbonate. Bleach removes the organic collagen component. Proper nutrition is important for building strong bones, as children and adolescents accrue the majority of their bone mass.

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Stephen Yor
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57 views4 pages

Skeletal System: Effects of Different Reagents On Bone

Bones are made up of both mineral and organic components. The mineral component, hydroxyapatite, contains calcium phosphate and makes bones hard and rigid. The organic component, collagen, provides flexibility. Different reagents affect bones in different ways by dissolving either the mineral or organic components. Vinegar dissolves the mineral component by reacting with calcium carbonate. Bleach removes the organic collagen component. Proper nutrition is important for building strong bones, as children and adolescents accrue the majority of their bone mass.

Uploaded by

Stephen Yor
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Skeletal System

Bone is built of two very important chemical groups:


-A mineral known as calcium phosphate (Calcium and Phosphorus). These make up the giant ionic and
inrganic part also called hydroxyapatite.
-The proteins (elastin and collagen) make up the organic molecular part also found in hair and
fingernails.
-These chemicals are obtained from the foods we eat and are responsible for the firmness and durability of
bone. Our body fluids do not dissolve these materials away, but bones do become less able to maintain their
density as we age. If we have provided our bodies with enough calcium in our diets as we are growing up (in
childhood and early adulthood), we hope to have enough stored in our bones to keep them in good shape as we get
older.
Our bones get their strength from a hard, outer covering that contains the mineral calcium carbonate. Calcium and
phosphate minerals combine to keep bones strong and rigid. The human body needs calcium for building healthy
teeth and bones. Without this mineral, our bones would be soft and flexible.

Characteris*cs Calcium phosphate Collagen


Flexible No Yes
Bri9le Yes No
Hard Yes No
So= No Yes

Effects of different reagents on bone:


1. Vinegar/ Acetic acid solution (undiluted)

By placing a bone into vinegar, all the “hard” chemicals in the bone (calcium phosphate… base) should be
dissolved away, leaving behind only the elastin and collagen protein fibers. Sometimes a bone soaked in
vinegar may even become easy to twist or tie into a knot. Bones soak in vinegar can become quite
rubbery.
Vinegar is considered a mild acid, but it is strong enough to dissolve away the calcium in the bone.
The acid component of vinegar reacts with calcium compounds in bones, making the calcium soluble
so that the water component of vinegar can then dissolve the calcium from the bones, leaving the bone
less rigid and able to bend. The acetic acid in vinegar and calcium carbonate in chicken bones react
together to produce calcium acetate -- a calcium salt that is soluble in water -- and carbonic acid. When
calcium acetate is formed, it diffuses out of the bones and into the water component of the vinegar.
Carbonic acid is not stable at room temperature, and it immediately breaks down into water and
carbon dioxide gas, which is released as small bubbles that can be seen if the bones are watched
closely over time.

2. Hydrochloric Acid
When a bone is dropped in HCl medium, the calcium of bone slowly starts to dissolve (removal of
calcium phosphate) due to the action of a strong acid. Bone becomes soft and flexible and more
susceptible to breakage, but it doesn't melt because there are other minerals such as potassium,
vitamins, and collagen that makes up the bone. A bone mainly constitutes of calcium carbonate while it
has many other minerals in scarce amounts. They say that hydrochloric acid could actually, be used to
consume an entire human body if used in large enough quantities (Hartnett et al. 2011).
Chemical reaction:
HCl +Ca = CaCl2 + H2
OR
HCl + CaCO3 (Calcium Carbonate) = CaCl + CO2 +H2O.

3. Bleaching solution/ Hypochlorite solution (undiluted)

By placing a bone into bleach (sodium hypochlorite solution… strong base) all the organic matter breaks
down. The organic matter in bone consists of the proteins (elastin and collagen). A bone soaked in bleach
will remove collagen and leave the calcium behind making the bones hard. Calcium is a white, brittle
material. Sometimes a bone soaked in bleach will become so brittle that it will crack if it is dropped.

4. Carbonated drink

Soda contains acids such as phosphoric acid and citric acid. If a bone is left to soak for an extended period
of time, the acid will begin to weaken its structure. If you allow the bone to soak for a week or more, you’ll
find that the bone becomes bendable, and once the bone is allowed to dry completely, it will become dry
and brittle.
5. Water

Water serves as a control.


Importance of the experiment
• The components of bone include cells (discussed in QFR #1), minerals, and the protein collagen.
• Collagen and minerals form the hard structure of bone.
• Bone cells make collagen and send it outside the cells, where the collagen molecules are linked into bundles; the
cells then deposit minerals around the collagen.
• The structure of a bone depends, in part, on minerals and collagen.
• The structure of a bone affects its strength.
• Bones provide strength, support, and protection for the body. Other functions include storing minerals and containing
bone marrow.
• There are two forms of bone: compact bone and spongy bone.
• The outside of bone is compact bone, which makes the bone strong.
• The inside of bone is spongy bone. Spongy bone provides structure to the bone. It also allows bone to slightly
compress when placed under stress and return to its original shape when the stress is removed.
You can make an analogy to reinforced concrete. Imagine that you have steel rods and cement that you will use to construct a
wall or a bridge. Pouring cement around steel rods placed in a suitable frame produces a material (reinforced concrete) that is
stronger and more capable of withstanding movement than either steel rods or cement alone. Bone has a similar organization.
The steel rods are chains of collagen, which confer resiliency, and the cement is crystals of mineral containing calcium and
phosphorus, which confer strength.

Because teeth and bones grow the most during childhood and adolescence, it is especially important for kids to get
enough calcium. The more bone mass children can accumulate during these years, the less likely they are to
develop serious bone problems in the future. Bones lose calcium over time, so the calcium must be replaced daily.
Children, ages 4–8, need 800 mg of calcium per day, while those ages 9–18 need 1,300 mg per day. Consistent low
levels of calcium can cause health problems, including the increased likelihood of broken bones, unhealthy teeth
and gums, and rickets. As an adult, these low levels can cause osteoporosis, a painful condition caused by a
decrease in bone density that often leads to broken hips and other fractures in the elderly. Eating a well, balanced
diet that includes foods rich in calcium is an important way to keep bones healthy.
Other details:

Bones aren’t just Calcium. While the calcium in bones in the form of hydroxyapatite makes them strong enough to
support your body, they can't be made completely of the mineral or they would be brittle and prone to breakage.
This is why vinegar and other acids do not completely dissolve bones. While the calcium is removed, the
fibrous protein called collagen remains. Collagen gives bones enough flexibility to withstand everyday wear and
tear. It is the most abundant protein in the human body, found not just in bones, but also in skin, muscles, blood
vessels, ligaments, and tendons.
Bones are close to 70% hydroxyapatite, with most of the remaining 30% consisting of collagen. The two materials
together are stronger than either one alone, in much the same way reinforced concrete is stronger than either of its
components.

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