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Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: bramgo on June 07, 2006, 07:30:33 PM

Title: CO2 in acid, base and neutral media.
Post by: bramgo on June 07, 2006, 07:30:33 PM
My tutor asked me:
"how does CO2 react if you send it through an acid medium, a base medium, and how does it react through a neutral medium".

I am not sure how to answer this question. I do not know much about chemistry.

I think in a base medium:
CO2 will react to CO3Na or CO3Ba ... or whatever the base is.
(However while this happens there will be more and more H+ in the fluid. So if we continue this it will become an accid medium. The CO3Na will split up back to HCO3 and Na2+.)

In a neutral medium:
Water is a neutral medium I think(?) So it will react like
CO2 + H2O --> H2CO3.
But H2CO3 only exists in theory. It will split up immediatly in HCO3- and H+ ions.

In a acid medium:
I have no idea !!!!
Will it form a base?
CO2 + H+ --> COH + O2+ don't think so
CO2 + 2H+ --> H2O + C2 don't think so neither

Can anybody correct me and tell me how it will react in an acid medium?
Thank you in advance.
I have an exam tomorrow about this  :-\
Title: Re: CO2 in acid, base and neutral media.
Post by: Dan on June 08, 2006, 05:44:01 AM
Na2+

Whatever you do, don't write that in your exam. Na is in group I, you will never form Na2+ under normal conditions.
 
Your basic medium is ok for Barium hydroxide. But using Na2+ is wrong.

Your neutral answer is correct. H2CO3 will mostly dissociate in neutral solution, but it can exist under certain conditions....

For acid, don't forget there is water around...

CO2 + H3O+ --------> ?