Chemical Forums
Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Kate on March 09, 2008, 12:32:53 PM
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Hello.
When mixing sulfuric acid with sodium carbonate the chemical reaction is:
Na2CO3 + H2SO4 -> Na2SO4 + H2O + CO2
Is there any safety precaution one should have one when doing this reaction ? Is there a visible reaction ?
Thanks.:)
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Do you have a guess?
physical states will be helpful here.
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I think there should be a visible reaction because one of the reaction products is CO2(g). But I don't know if there's any safety precaution I should have when doing this reaction.
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Any and all safety precautions when dealing with sulfuric acid.
And do not just throw in a bunch of sodium carbonate at once. If too much product is being formed, and coming out as gas, it could cause splashing. Flying sulfuric acid is never a good thing.
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depending on the concentration of the two reactants and the rate at which they are mixed, there may be a very vigorous reaction - and if your flask has a small neck, the 'spill' may become a 'volcano'
You usually see acetic acid and sodium bicarbonate, but the same principle applies: youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qgw0eVy4VUg)
Oh, and always use all common safety precautions when working with chemicials in lab :)
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Oh, and always use all common safety precautions when working with chemicials in lab :)
Apart from the safety precautions when dealing with sulfuric acid and other reactants, I should be careful in this particular reaction because of the CO2 (g) right ?
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because of the CO2 (g) right ?
Yes. That and the possible bubbling/volcano effect.
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What safety precautions are you going to suggest a researcher take?
Besides from personal protective equipment (goggles, etc), there are operational precautions one may take to reduce the risk of volcano - do you know what other precautions one might take?
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CO2 is denser than air, and displaces it. A bench top experiment doesn't pose a particular hazard in this regard, unless you tend to take naps on the bench top or floor. At an industrial scale, large amounts of accumulated CO2 can be dangerous -- from what I've heard, at least once a year someone, somewhere in the world, working at winery or brewery becomes overcome, falls into a vat, and drowns.
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Besides from personal protective equipment (goggles, etc), there are operational precautions one may take to reduce the risk of volcano - do you know what other precautions one might take?
No, I don't. But I'd very much like to know.
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depending on the concentration of the two reactants and the rate at which they are mixed, there may be a very vigorous reaction
How might knowing this help you devise some safety precautions to avoid eruption? Temperature control can also help, but probably not much on a small scale
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Well, in order to avoid eruption the concentration of the reactants should be low and while doing the reaction I should slowly add one of the reactants to the other.
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Yup. Keep it cold and you're all set for a boring, non-volcano :)