Chemical Forums
Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: fooballer on October 17, 2007, 05:27:49 PM
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Hey I've been doing a chemistry lab in school, and I have to figure out the balanced chemical reaction between these two compounds.
Any idea?
C6H8O7 + NaHCO3 --> ?
I'm not sure, but i'm guessing it is a neutralization reaction, so water would be one of the products, but im not too sure. Anything would be helpful, thanks.
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You are right about it being a neutralization reaction (acid-base reaction). I don't how much you know about chemistry so I'm sorry if I include information you know.
It's easier to see what's going on when citric acid is written out like this:
C3H5O(COOH)3
As you can see there are 3 carboxylic groups. I don't know how far you are into chemistry, but a compound that has a carboxylic group is an acid. The carboxylic group (-COOH) will lose it's H atom to form H+ (or H3O+ whichever you prefer) and -COO-.
R(COOH) --> R(COO-) + H+
R only means some carbon chain is attached.
Citric acid has 3 carboxylic groups. It is a polyprotic acid, and to be specific it produces a maximum of 3 H+ (or H3O+).
Sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCO3) ionizes into Na+ and HCO3-. The HCO3- group is basic.
With this information try to figure out your products. Post the new equation, and I or someone else will tell if you are correct.
[Edit] I wasn't paying attention and put HCOO3 instead of HCO3.
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Sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCOO3) ionizes into Na+ and HCOO3-. The HCOO3- group is basic.
HCOO3 should be HCO3.
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Sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCOO3) ionizes into Na+ and HCOO3-. The HCOO3- group is basic.
HCOO3 should be HCO3.
Woops good catch. I wasn't paying attention; I was too used to typing COOH.