Question

(a) Why is it wrong to treat a bee sting with vinegar?

(b) Why is it wrong to treat a wasp sting with baking soda solution?
[2 Marks]

Answer 1

a) Bee sting injects formic acid. Vinegar is a dilute solution of acetic acid so vinegar increases the pain if we put it on that place. It's better to rub it with a base such as soap which helps us to give relief. <!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->
[1 Mark]

b) A wasp injects a base in the skin which causes burning pain. Since we cannot neutralise a base with a base like baking soda. Therefore rubbing a mild acid may give relief.
[1 Mark]