How does the loss of calcium affect bone strength?
Your bones are lightweight and incredibly strong. Bones get their strength from a hard outer shell that contains the mineral calcium carbonate. The calcium keeps the bone stiff and rigid. A strong acid can chemically react with the bones and remove much of the calcium carbonate. In this experiment you will determine how the loss of calcium carbonate affects the strength of bones. You will use vinegar as the acid. The vinegar will react with three bones for varying lengths of time. The longer the vinegar reacts with the bone, the more calcium the vinegar will remove from the bone. How much you can bend the bone will allow you determine the bone’s strength. Before you begin, make an educated guess about the outcome of this experiment based on your knowledge of bones…
