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General Medicine & Health Science Fair Project

Comparing Pain Relievers

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Comparing Pain Relievers | Science Fair Projects | STEM Projects
Are generic pain relievers as effective as brand name ones? Find out by testing the dissolution times of three different pain relievers and comparing brand names to generic names. See which one dissolves faster in simulated stomach acid and distilled water.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that Ibuprofen will dissolve fastest of all pain relievers.

Method & Materials

You will measure the dissolution times of three different pain relievers, comparing brand names to generic names. You will time how long it takes for each pain reliever to dissolve in seconds, by a digital timer (stop watch).
You will need a stopwatch, two 200 mL beakers, eight tablets of Acetaminophen, eight tablets of Tylenol, eight tablets of Aspirin, eight tablets of Bayer, eight tablets of Ibuprofen, eight tablets of Advil, one pair of latex gloves, a microwave, two magnetic stirrers, a celsius thermometer, some distilled water, a roll of paper towels, an apron, a pair of goggles, a 1000 mL beaker, a pen or pencil, and a notebook to record results.

Results

The results of the experiment showed that all of the pills dissolved faster in distilled water than in gastric stomach acid. Bayer dissolved fastest, followed by Acetaminophen then Tylenol, then Advil, next by Ibuprofen, and finally Aspirin. This stands out as an observation because it shows that the brand name pills did not necessarily dissolve faster than the generic ones.

Why do this project?

This science project is interesting because it tests the effectiveness of generic pain relievers compared to brand name ones. It also shows that the brand name pills did not necessarily dissolve faster than the generic ones.

Also Consider

Variations to consider include testing the experiment with different water temperatures and different speeds of the magnetic stirrers.

Full project details

You can find additional information and details for this science fair project here. Have fun exploring!
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