Question

Sodium formate, \(\mathrm{NaCHO}_{2},\) is used in fabric dyeing. The acid form is found in the venom of ant bites. What is the name of the acid that this salt can be made from?

Short answer

The name of the acid that sodium formate can be made from is formic acid.

Step-by-step solution

Identify the Acid Component of the Salt

To find the acid from which sodium formate, \(\mathrm{NaCHO}_{2}\), can be made, first identify the anion part of the salt. The formula of sodium formate suggests that the anion is formate, \(\mathrm{CHO}_{2}^{-}\).

Write the Acid Formation Reaction

The acid is formed when the formate ion gains a hydrogen ion \(\mathrm{H}^{+}\). Write the reaction: \(\mathrm{CHO}_{2}^{-} + \mathrm{H}^{+} \rightarrow \mathrm{HCHO}_{2}\).

Name the Acid

The acid formed from the formate ion, \(\mathrm{HCHO}_{2}\), is named by replacing the -ate suffix of the salt with -ic acid. Therefore, the name of the acid is formic acid.

Key concepts

Understanding Acid-Base Chemistry

Acid-base chemistry is fundamental in the study of chemical reactions, and it plays a vital role in various industries and biological processes. An acid is a substance that can donate a proton (hydrogen ion, \(\mathrm{H}^+\)), and a base is a substance that can accept a proton. The reaction between an acid and a base is known as neutralization, which typically results in the formation of water and a salt.

For example, sodium formate (\(\mathrm{NaCHO}_2\)) is a salt that, when dissolved in water, dissociates into sodium ions (\(\mathrm{Na}^+\)) and formate ions (\(\mathrm{CHO}_2^-\)). If formate ions were to react with hydronium ions (\(\mathrm{H}_3\mathrm{O}^+\)), or alternatively with hydrogen ions (\(\mathrm{H}^+\)), formic acid would be produced. This type of reaction illustrates the fundamental nature of acid-base interactions and shows how acids and their corresponding salts are related.

Chemical Nomenclature for Formic Acid

Chemical nomenclature is the system used for naming chemical compounds. It provides a standardized way to communicate the composition and structure of compounds clearly and concisely. In the case of the salt sodium formate, the formate part of the name is derived from the corresponding acid, formic acid. Typically, the ion name (like formate) is a clue about the acid from which it is derived. In this instance, the '-ate' suffix in 'formate' indicates an oxyanion of an acid ending in '-ic'.

So, \(\mathrm{CHO}_2^-\) is known as the formate ion. When naming the acid, the '-ate' is replaced with '-ic' followed by 'acid', giving us formic acid (\(\mathrm{HCHO}_2\)). Understanding this nomenclature is crucial since it is used across all fields of chemistry, helping students and professionals to infer the properties and reactions of the chemical substances they work with.

Salt Analysis and Identification

Salt analysis, also known as qualitative inorganic analysis, involves the identification of the cations and anions present in a given salt. The process begins with the dissociation of the salt into its constituent ions when dissolved in water. For instance, in the analysis of sodium formate, \(\mathrm{NaCHO}_2\), the salt dissociates into sodium ions (\(\mathrm{Na}^+\)) and formate ions (\(\mathrm{CHO}_2^-\)).

By understanding the possible reactions that anions and cations can undergo, chemists can conduct experiments to confirm their presence. For example, the detection of \(\mathrm{CHO}_2^-\) can be confirmed if, upon addition of an acid, it releases \(\mathrm{CO}_2\) gas that causes effervescence. These kinds of analyses are integral in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and environmental science, where the identification of salts is crucial for quality control, safety, and regulatory compliance.