What is the balanced net ionic equation for sodium hydroxide and acetylsalicylic acid?

1 Answer
Stefan V.
Feb 11, 2018

"C"_ 6"H"_ 4 "OCOCH"_ 3"COOH" _ ((aq)) + "OH"_ ((aq))^(-)-> "C"_ 6"H"_ 4 "OCOCH"_ 3"COO" _ ((aq))^(-) + "H"_ 2"O"_ ((l))C6H4OCOCH3COOH(aq)+OH−(aq)→C6H4OCOCH3COO−(aq)+H2O(l)

Explanation:

Sodium hydroxide and acetylsalicylic acid neutralize each other in a 1:11:1 mole ratio to produce aqueous sodium acetylsalicylate and water.

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The molecular equation looks like this

"C"_ 6"H"_ 4 "OCOCH"_ 3"COOH" _ ((aq)) + "NaOH"_ ((aq)) -> "C"_ 6"H"_ 4 "OCOCH"_ 3"COONa"_ ((aq)) + "H"_ 2"O"_ ((l))C6H4OCOCH3COOH(aq)+NaOH(aq)→C6H4OCOCH3COONa(aq)+H2O(l)

The complete ionic equation looks like this

"C"_ 6"H"_ 4 "OCOCH"_ 3"COOH" _ ((aq)) + "Na"_ ((aq))^(+) + "OH"_ ((aq))^(-) -> "C"_ 6"H"_ 4 "OCOCH"_ 3"COO" _ ((aq))^(-) + "Na"_ ((aq))^(+) + "H"_ 2"O"_ ((l))C6H4OCOCH3COOH(aq)+Na+(aq)+OH−(aq)→C6H4OCOCH3COO−(aq)+Na+(aq)+H2O(l)

The sodium cations are spectator ions here, i.e. they are present on both sides of the chemical equation, so you can eliminate them

"C"_ 6"H"_ 4 "OCOCH"_ 3"COOH" _ ((aq)) + color(red)(cancel(color(black)("Na"_ ((aq))^(+)))) + "OH"_ ((aq))^(-)-> "C"_ 6"H"_ 4 "OCOCH"_ 3"COO" _ ((aq))^(-) + color(red)(cancel(color(black)("Na"_ ((aq))^(+)))) + "H"_ 2"O"_ ((l))

and write the net ionic equation that describes this reaction.

"C"_ 6"H"_ 4 "OCOCH"_ 3"COOH" _ ((aq)) + "OH"_ ((aq))^(-)-> "C"_ 6"H"_ 4 "OCOCH"_ 3"COO" _ ((aq))^(-) + "H"_ 2"O"_ ((l))

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