Electrolytes in Energy Drinks
"Just do it!" You have probably heard that slogan, and there is no doubt that exercise is a key part of staying healthy. But exercising depletes the body's stores of fluids and minerals, which must be replaced. Most experts agree that if you are engaged in light to moderate exercise, drinking a glass or two of water should do the trick. But if you are exercising strenuously, you also need to replenish some of the salts that your body loses through sweat. These salts, or electrolytes, are found in most sports drinks.
What advantages does a sports drink have over water? Water provides the liquid you need to avoid dehydration, but it does not have electrolytes. An electrolyte is a substance that will dissociate into ions in a solution. The ions in the solution give it the capacity to conduct electricity. Electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, are present in sweat. Chloride, calcium, and phosphate ions are also electrolytes.
The proper concentration of electrolytes in your blood is essential to your health. Your cardiovascular and nervous systems, to name just two, require electrolytes to function well. Differences in the concentration of sodium and potassium inside and outside of cells allow your nerve and muscle fibers to send electrical impulses (which is how these cells communicate and get your body to react and move).
Your body keeps the concentration of the various electrolytes in its fluids within a narrow range, and this process depends on consuming enough water and electrolytes. The maintenance of electrolytes within this narrow range is due to the body's homeostatic mechanisms, which control the absorption, distribution, and excretion of water and its dissolved electrolytes.
But can you get your electrolytes from natural juices, such as orange juice? Yes and no. One problem with juices is that many have relatively high concentrations of carbohydrates, which is fine for your morning drink, but not ideal for rehydrating during exercise. High levels of carbohydrates add useless calories and require water for digestion.
To measure the electrolytes in this science project, you will use a multimeter. A multimeter is an electronic device that measures voltage, current, and resistance. For this project, you will use just the ammeter part of the multimeter. An ammeter measures current.
How can you use an ammeter to measure the concentration of electrolytes? You will use it to measure conductance, which is proportional to the electrolyte concentration. Because electrolytes are charged particles that carry current in solution, the conductance of the solution depends on the concentration of the electrolytes. If you increase the concentration of electrolytes in a solution, the conductance of the solution also increases.
Science Buddies Staff. "Electrolyte Challenge: Orange Juice Vs. Sports Drink" Science Buddies. Science Buddies, 18 Nov.2014. Web. 21 Jan. 2015
What advantages does a sports drink have over water? Water provides the liquid you need to avoid dehydration, but it does not have electrolytes. An electrolyte is a substance that will dissociate into ions in a solution. The ions in the solution give it the capacity to conduct electricity. Electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, are present in sweat. Chloride, calcium, and phosphate ions are also electrolytes.
The proper concentration of electrolytes in your blood is essential to your health. Your cardiovascular and nervous systems, to name just two, require electrolytes to function well. Differences in the concentration of sodium and potassium inside and outside of cells allow your nerve and muscle fibers to send electrical impulses (which is how these cells communicate and get your body to react and move).
Your body keeps the concentration of the various electrolytes in its fluids within a narrow range, and this process depends on consuming enough water and electrolytes. The maintenance of electrolytes within this narrow range is due to the body's homeostatic mechanisms, which control the absorption, distribution, and excretion of water and its dissolved electrolytes.
But can you get your electrolytes from natural juices, such as orange juice? Yes and no. One problem with juices is that many have relatively high concentrations of carbohydrates, which is fine for your morning drink, but not ideal for rehydrating during exercise. High levels of carbohydrates add useless calories and require water for digestion.
To measure the electrolytes in this science project, you will use a multimeter. A multimeter is an electronic device that measures voltage, current, and resistance. For this project, you will use just the ammeter part of the multimeter. An ammeter measures current.
How can you use an ammeter to measure the concentration of electrolytes? You will use it to measure conductance, which is proportional to the electrolyte concentration. Because electrolytes are charged particles that carry current in solution, the conductance of the solution depends on the concentration of the electrolytes. If you increase the concentration of electrolytes in a solution, the conductance of the solution also increases.
Science Buddies Staff. "Electrolyte Challenge: Orange Juice Vs. Sports Drink" Science Buddies. Science Buddies, 18 Nov.2014. Web. 21 Jan. 2015