Question

Give the balanced chemical equations for the reaction of dilute sulphuric acid with:

${\mathrm{NaHCO}}_3$

Answer 1

1. Balanced chemical equation

A balanced chemical equation is defined as an equation in which the total number of atoms is equal on both sides of the reaction.

2. Reaction of Sodium hydrogen carbonate $\left({\mathrm{NaHCO}}_3\right)$ with Sulphuric acid $\left({\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\right)$

When dilute Sulphuric acid $\left({\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\right)$ is added to Sodium hydrogen carbonate $\left({\mathrm{NaHCO}}_3\right)$ then the salt named Sodium sulphate $\left({\mathrm{Na}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\right)$ is formed along with by-products such as Water $\left({\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\right)$ and Carbon dioxide $\left({\mathrm{CO}}_2\right)$.

The reaction is depicted as:

$$\begin{gathered} 2{\mathrm{NaHCO}}_3\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\to {\mathrm{Na}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+2{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)+2{\mathrm{CO}}_2 \\ \mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{Sulphuric}\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{Water}\mathrm{Carbon} \\ \mathrm{hydrogen}\mathrm{acid}\mathrm{sulphate}\mathrm{dioxide} \\ \mathrm{carbonate} \end{gathered}$$