Question

A dry pellet of a common base B, when kept in open absorbs moisture and turns sticky. The compound is also a by-product of chlor-alkali process. Identify B, what type of reaction occurs when B is treated with an acidic oxide ? Write a balanced chemical equation for one such solution.

Answer 1

Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is commonly used base and is hygroscopic, that is, it absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and becomes sticky.

Thus, base B is NaOH (sodium hydroxide). It is also a by-product of chlor-alkali process, The acidic oxide reacts with base to give salt and water.

If ${\text{CO}}_2$ is the acidic oxide taken, then the following reaction takes place with 'B'.

$\underset{\text{Sodium hydroxide (B)}}{2\text{NaOH}}+{\text{CO}}_2⟶+\underset{\text{Sodium carbonate}}{{\text{Na}}_2{\text{CO}}_3}+{\text{H}}_2\text{O}$

Such a reaction is called a neutralisation reaction.