Question

A salt X is formed and a gas is evolved when ethanoic acid reacts with sodium hydrogen carbonate. Name the salt X and the gas evolved. Describe an activity and draw the diagram of the apparatus to prove that the evolved gas is the one which you have named. Also, write a chemical equation of the reaction involved.

Answer 1

Chemical reaction

• Chemical reactions, in which reactants combine to form products, are represented by chemical equations.
• Stoichiometric coefficients are added to the reactants and products to balance chemical equations.
• It's significant because the principles of mass conservation and constant proportions require a chemical equation to be applied.

Ethanoic acid reacts with sodium hydrogen carbonate

• When ethanoic acid reacts $\left({\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}\right)$ with sodium hydrogen carbonate $\left({\mathrm{NaHCO}}_3\right)$, a salt X is formed and gas is produced.
• The reaction is as follows:

${\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}+{\mathrm{NaHCO}}_3\to {\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COONa}+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}+{\mathrm{CO}}_2$

• When sodium hydrogen carbonate and ethanoic acid react, sodium ethanoate $\left({\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COONa}\right)$ and carbon dioxide $\left({\mathrm{CO}}_2\right)$ gas are produced.
• Hence, X salt is Sodium ethanoate and gas is carbon dioxide.

Activity

• In a test tube, add $2\mathrm{mL}$ of diluted ethanoic acid and a spoonful of sodium hydrogen carbonate.
• In a test tube, brisk effervescence occurs.
• Pass the produced gas into lime water.
• The evolution of carbon dioxide is confirmed when lime water turns milky.

Diagram of the apparatus