Question #444cf

1 Answer
Oct 18, 2015

The reaction produces sodium carbonate, water, and carbon dioxide.

Explanation:

Sulfuric acid, "H"_2"SO"_4H2SO4, will react with sodium carbonate, "Na"_2"CO"_3Na2CO3, to form sodium sulfate, "Na"_2"SO"_4Na2SO4, and carbonic acid, "H"_2"CO"_3H2CO3.

In aqueous solution, carbonic acid actually exists in equilibrium with water and carbon dioxide, "CO"_2CO2.

"H"_2"CO"_text(3(aq]) rightleftharpoons "H"_2"O"_text((l]) + "CO"_text(2(aq])H2CO3(aq]H2O(l]+CO2(aq]

The balanced chemical equation for this reaction will looks like this

"H"_2"SO"_text(4(aq]) + "Na"_2"CO"_text(3(s]) -> "Na"_2"SO"_text(4(aq]) + overbrace("H"_2"CO"_text(3(aq]))^(color(blue)("H"_2"O" + "CO"_2))

The reaction can thus be written as

"H"_2"SO"_text(4(aq]) + "Na"_2"CO"_text(3(s]) -> "Na"_2"SO"_text(4(aq]) + "H"_2"O"_text((l]) + "CO"_text(2(g]) uarr

The carbon dioxide will bubble out of solution.