What determines if in a reaction between sodium chloride and sulfuric acid you will get sodium bisulfate or sodium sulfate?

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What determines if in a reaction between sodium chloride and sulfuric acid you will get sodium bisulfate or sodium sulfate?

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Answer 1 · 2016-01-07T18:28:28

I presume you mean the reaction between sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid.

Explanation:

If 2 equiv sodium hydroxide are used:

$H_{2} S O_{4} (a q) + 2 N a O H (a q) \to N a_{2} S O_{4} (a q) + 2 H_{2} O (l)$ $H_2SO_4(aq) + 2NaOH(aq) rarr Na_2SO_4(aq) + 2H_2O(l)$

If 1 equiv sodium hydroxide is used:

$H_{2} S O_{4} (a q) + N a O H (a q) \to N a H S O_{4} (a q) + H_{2} O (l)$ $H_2SO_4(aq) + NaOH(aq) rarr NaHSO_4(aq) + H_2O(l)$

Both reactions are balanced with respect to mass and charge (and they must be). The difference is the stoichiometry. Only the 1 equiv sodium hydroxide was added in the 2nd equation, therefore, the diprotic sulfuric acid reacted to give sodium bisulfate, $N a H S O_{4}$ $NaHSO_4$ , which is still a fairly strong acid, and only the one equiv of water. Capisce?

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What determines if in a reaction between sodium chloride and sulfuric acid you will get sodium bisulfate or sodium sulfate?

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