Question

A dry pellet of a common base B, when kept in the open absorbs moisture and turns sticky. The compound is also a by-product of the chloralkali 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

Chloralkali process:

1. The brine solution is electrolyzed during the chloralkali process. Brine is a sodium chloride solution in water. Brine solution decomposes into hydrogen gas, chlorine gas, and sodium hydroxide during electrolysis.$\underset{\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{chloride}}{2\mathrm{NaCl}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Water}}{2{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)}\to \underset{\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{hydroxide}}{2\mathrm{NaOH}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Hydrogen}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Chlorine}}{{\mathrm{Cl}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}$
2. The chloralkali process produces sodium hydroxide as a byproduct. It collects moisture and becomes sticky when left out in the open.
3. When sodium hydroxide is combined with carbon dioxide, sodium carbonate is formed. It is important to keep in mind that carbon dioxide is an acidic gas. $\underset{\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{hydroxide}}{2\mathrm{NaOH}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Carbon}\mathrm{dioxide}}{{\mathrm{CO}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}\to \underset{\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{carbonate}}{{\mathrm{Na}}_2{\mathrm{CO}}_3\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Water}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)}$
4. This is a neutralization reaction since it involves a basic component and an acidic compound.

Therefore, B is Sodium hydroxide and when B is treated with acidic oxide a neutralization reaction occurs.