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Topic: Predicting subproducts (and) amount(s) in a metal/acid reaction  (Read 4068 times)

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Offline mahar.sean

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Predicting subproducts (and) amount(s) in a metal/acid reaction
« on: December 16, 2008, 10:44:35 AM »
Ex: HCl + Na --> NaCl + H. The question refers to the (fact?) that the acid is not pure.  HCl is the solute, suspended in HOH I assume.  Therefore there will be subproduct(s) ?.  For example, in this reaction, the HOH solvent may combine to make NaOH, and ClO2.  I may be totally off base here, in advance I apologise for my naive te.  I am 42 years old and have forgotten alot of my earlier education.  If this question is of a format that is unacceptable, please help illucidate me.  I hope I have made my question clear enough, if not, please let me know.

Offline Arkcon

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Re: Predicting subproducts (and) amount(s) in a metal/acid reaction
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2008, 12:24:45 PM »
You've got some parts OK, and some are quite wrong, and you're missing steps, for example:

NaOH + HCl  :rarrow: NaCl

which is one of your wanted products anyway.  Also, most beginners learn that hydrogen doesn't exist as H, but instead as H2, and it may or may not be important that you write balanced equations.  So you have lots to work on.  For starters, what is your application?  There are easier ways to get your hands on table salt, for example. :D
Hey, I'm not judging.  I just like to shoot straight.  I'm a man of science.

Offline mahar.sean

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Re: Predicting subproducts (and) amount(s) in a metal/acid reaction
« Reply #2 on: December 18, 2008, 10:41:44 AM »
     Thank you, Arcon...I was deliberatly vague in chosing the reaction to show.  I did not want to divulge what might be propriatary.  This sight has been helpful already.  If/when I obtain funding, one of the companies that advertises here on the 'side-lines' I will surely like to do business with.  I hope this brings more prosperity to this group.
     I apologise for posting under the High School section, the reason I did so is because the 'High School Posters' were asking and answering questions that are considerably more advanced than my level of Chemical knowlege.  I have learned more here in the past few days than I did in 2 semesters of Un-grad Chem.

Offline mahar.sean

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Re: Predicting subproducts (and) amount(s) in a metal/acid reaction
« Reply #3 on: December 23, 2008, 10:44:03 AM »
I probably should not continue to follow myself...I just want to ask: Could this question be more of a Physical Chemistry question?  Being that there are, in my humble opinion, different percentage levels of likelyhood of each product being produced?

Offline enahs

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Re: Predicting subproducts (and) amount(s) in a metal/acid reaction
« Reply #4 on: December 23, 2008, 11:39:44 AM »
If you have HCl dissolved in water it behaves as H3O+ and Cl-. NaOH dissociates in water to give OH- and Na+.

The OH- and H3O+ react to form H2O (more water). You are now just left with aqueous NaCl, that is, Na+ ions and Cl- ions.

Your initial equation, implies you have HCl gas and sodium metal. Both very hard conditions to maintain. There will not be water in your very first reaction.

I am not really sure what you are trying to get at?


Offline Arkcon

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Re: Predicting subproducts (and) amount(s) in a metal/acid reaction
« Reply #5 on: December 23, 2008, 11:52:03 AM »
I probably should not continue to follow myself...I just want to ask: Could this question be more of a Physical Chemistry question?  Being that there are, in my humble opinion, different percentage levels of likelyhood of each product being produced?

Not really, this is a general chemistry sort of question -- stoichiometry, balancing equations, predicting products that actually exist (i.e. knowing that hydrogen exists as a diatomic molecule, H2), predicting side reactions, etc.  are all taught to beginners in college chemistry.  You can keep browsing these forums, and see what you can pick up, or get a basic chemistry text, like Pauling's, and see if you can fill in your gaps.
Hey, I'm not judging.  I just like to shoot straight.  I'm a man of science.

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