Question

Analyze Complete and balance the following equation $$\mathrm{CO}_{2}(\mathrm{g})+\mathrm{HCl}(\mathrm{aq}) \rightarrow$$

Short answer

The balanced chemical equation for the given reaction is: \(\mathrm{CaCl}_{2}(\mathrm{aq})+\mathrm{CO}_{2}(\mathrm{g})+\mathrm{H}_{2}\mathrm{O}(\mathrm{l}) \rightarrow \mathrm{CaCO}_{3}(\mathrm{s})+\mathrm{H}_{2}\mathrm{O}(\mathrm{l})+\mathrm{HCl}(\mathrm{aq})\)

Step-by-step solution

Determine the products of the reaction

We have a reaction between carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrochloric acid (HCl). CO2 is an acidic oxide, and HCl is a typical acid, so it's likely that the reaction between them forms a salt and water. The products will include a metal chloride (the metal being calcium) and water. $$\mathrm{CO}_{2}(\mathrm{g})+\mathrm{HCl}(\mathrm{aq}) \rightarrow \mathrm{CaCl}_{2}(\mathrm{aq})+\mathrm{H}_{2}\mathrm{O}(\mathrm{l})$$

Balance the number of atoms for each element

Now that we have predicted the products of the reaction, let's balance the number of atoms for each element in the reactants and products. 1. Carbon atoms: There is one carbon atom in CO2, and none in the products, so add a CaCO3 in the product side to balance the carbon atoms. $$\mathrm{CO}_{2}(\mathrm{g})+\mathrm{HCl}(\mathrm{aq}) \rightarrow \mathrm{CaCO}_{3}(\mathrm{s})+\mathrm{H}_{2}\mathrm{O}(\mathrm{l})$$ 2. Oxygen atoms: There are two oxygen atoms in CO2 and three oxygen atoms in CaCO3, as we have 2 oxygen atoms in CO2 and one in H2O. The hydrogens and chlorines are already balanced. 3. Calcium atoms: We need to add calcium in the reactant side to balance the equation. $$\mathrm{CaCl}_{2}(\mathrm{aq})+\mathrm{CO}_{2}(\mathrm{g})+\mathrm{HCl}(\mathrm{aq}) \rightarrow \mathrm{CaCO}_{3}(\mathrm{s})+\mathrm{H}_{2}\mathrm{O}(\mathrm{l})$$ The balanced chemical equation becomes: $$\mathrm{CaCl}_{2}(\mathrm{aq})+\mathrm{CO}_{2}(\mathrm{g})+\mathrm{H}_{2}\mathrm{O}(\mathrm{l}) \rightarrow \mathrm{CaCO}_{3}(\mathrm{s})+\mathrm{H}_{2}\mathrm{O}(\mathrm{l})+\mathrm{HCl}(\mathrm{aq})$$

Key concepts

Stoichiometry

Understanding stoichiometry is crucial for solving chemical equations effectively. It's a branch of chemistry that deals with the quantities and proportions of substances involved in chemical reactions. In stoichiometry, we use the mole concept to relate masses of substances to the number of particles in a chemical reaction.

To balance a chemical equation stoichiometrically, first write down the unbalanced equation. Then, determine the stoichiometric coefficients, which are numbers placed in front of compounds to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation. Balancing coefficients must be whole numbers, and they represent the ratio of moles of reactants that react to form a set number of moles of products.

The exercise improvement advice for students struggling with stoichiometry is to practice by writing down all the elements involved in the reaction and tally the atoms of each element on both the reactant and product sides. For complex equations, sometimes it's helpful to balance elements that appear in fewer compounds first and leave hydrogen and oxygen for last, as they are often present in multiple compounds.

Chemical Reactions

The heart of chemistry lies in chemical reactions, which are processes that change the identity of substances. Reactions involve breaking bonds in reactants and forming new bonds to create products. All chemical reactions must obey the law of conservation of mass, meaning that atoms are neither created nor destroyed; they are just rearranged.

When analyzing a reaction, like the given CO2 and HCl reaction, it's important to predict the possible products. This step often requires knowledge of different reaction types, such as synthesis, decomposition, single-replacement, double-replacement, and combustion reactions. In our case, we're likely dealing with a somewhat uncommon reaction involving HCl and CO2 leading to the formation of solid calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and water (H2O), which could be considered a type of acid-carbonate reaction.

To improve understanding of chemical reactions, students should familiarize themselves with common reaction types and their general equations. With practice, predicting products and identifying reaction types becomes more intuitive.

Acid-Base Chemistry

The realm of acid-base chemistry covers a variety of reactions involving acids and bases. An acid is a substance that can donate protons (H+ ions), while a base can accept them. The concept of proton transfer is crucial when working with acid-base reactions, as seen in our example where hydrochloric acid (HCl) reacts.

In most educational settings, acid-base reactions are often discussed in terms of neutralization, where an acid reacts with a base to form a salt and water. However, in the provided exercise, we deal with a reaction between an acidic oxide (CO2) and an acid (HCl), leading to the formation of a metallic salt (CaCl2) and water (H2O), which is not a typical neutralization reaction.

To improve comprehension in acid-base reactions, it's recommended for students to study the Bronsted-Lowry theory and Lewis definitions of acids and bases, which can provide a broader understanding of how these substances behave in different chemical contexts. Additionally, practicing with pH calculations and titration exercises can enhance students' skills in balancing and understanding these types of chemical equations.