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Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: 21901201 on March 31, 2006, 12:17:56 PM

Title: Acid and base
Post by: 21901201 on March 31, 2006, 12:17:56 PM: Na2CO3 + H2SO4 --> ¨

How do I solve this one?
Title: Re:Acid and base
Post by: Albert on March 31, 2006, 12:26:49 PM: :o

A base and an acid...no need to balance anything...what do you think?
Title: Re:Acid and base
Post by: Alberto_Kravina on March 31, 2006, 12:29:24 PM: But a reaction happens, by the way... :P
Title: Re:Acid and base
Post by: 21901201 on March 31, 2006, 12:33:45 PM: I was thinking something like this:

2 Na(+) + CO3(2--) + 2 H30(+) + SO4(2--) --> H2O + H2 + Na2SO4 (aq) + CO3(2--)

That can't be right, oi?
Title: Re:Acid and base
Post by: Alberto_Kravina on March 31, 2006, 12:39:07 PM: Quote from: 21901201 on March 31, 2006, 12:33:45 PM
I was thinking something like this:
2 Na(+) + CO3(2--) + 2 H30(+) + SO4(2--) --> H2O + H2 + Na2SO4 (aq) + CO3(2--)

Too complicated (and not correct)! What could happen with the carbonate anion if you protonate it?
Title: Re:Acid and base
Post by: 21901201 on March 31, 2006, 12:48:12 PM: I thought so.

Something like this?
2 H+ + CO3-- --> H2CO3

But that's an acid too, right?
Title: Re:Acid and base
Post by: Alberto_Kravina on March 31, 2006, 12:59:19 PM: Correct, but H₂CO₃ is instable... :P
Title: Re:Acid and base
Post by: Captain Proton on April 01, 2006, 08:36:18 PM: Wouldn't the H₂SO₃ decompose into CO₂ and H₂O?

Na₂CO₃ + H₂SO₄ ---> H₂CO₃ + Na₂SO₃ ---> H₂O + CO₂ + Na₂SO₃
Title: Re:Acid and base
Post by: Alberto_Kravina on April 02, 2006, 07:49:35 AM: Quote from: Captain Proton on April 01, 2006, 08:36:18 PM
Wouldn't the H₂SO₃ decompose into CO₂ and H₂O?
H₂CO₃ decomposes in water and carbon dioxide, not H₂SO₃ :)

Quote
Na2CO3 + H2SO4 ---> H2CO3 + Na2SO3 ---> H2O + CO2 + Na2SO3
No! Sulfate is not reduced to sulfite! As you can see the oxygen atoms are not balanced.... :P
Title: Re:Acid and base
Post by: Bel-p on April 02, 2006, 06:56:53 PM: Quote from: 21901201 on March 31, 2006, 12:17:56 PM
Na2CO3 + H2SO4 --> ¨

How do I solve this one?

Is is too simple to suggest the following?
Na2CO3 + H2SO4 --> Na2SO4 + CO2 +H2O
a carbonate + an acid makes a salt + CO2 and water
Title: Re:Acid and base
Post by: xiankai on April 03, 2006, 07:07:19 AM: that would be ok, but we dont know what the author of this thread is trying to find: an ionic equation, a general equation or all the reactions that occur step-by-step :P