Question

Sodium hydroxide and ammonium hydroxide are soluble in water. Write the chemical equation of:

(a) Sodium hydroxide with sulfuric acid.

Answer 1

Reaction summary

Sodium hydroxide $\left(\mathrm{NaOH}\right)$ reacts with Sulfuric acid $\left({\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\right)$ to form Sodium sulfate $\left({\mathrm{Na}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\right)$ and water $\left({\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\right)$. The reaction is known as the neutralization reaction.

Skeleton reaction

$\mathrm{NaOH}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\to {\mathrm{Na}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)$

• There are $2$ sodium $\left(\mathrm{Na}\right)$ atoms on the product side, while on the reactant side, there is only $1$. To balance sodium atoms, a coefficient of 2 must be added in front of $\mathrm{NaOH}$.
• The number of hydrogen $\left(\mathrm{H}\right)$ atoms on both sides of the reaction is not equal. Thus, to balance hydrogen atoms, a coefficient of 2 must be added in front of ${\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}$. Through this, all the atoms in the reaction become balanced.

Balanced chemical equation

$2\mathrm{NaOH}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\to {\mathrm{Na}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+2{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)$