Question

Below are the formulas of some salts. Such salts could form by the reaction of the appropriate strong acid with the appropriate strong base (with the other product of the reaction being, of course, water). For each salt, write an equation showing the formation for the salt from the reaction of the appropriate strong acid and strong base. a. KCI b. \(\mathrm{NaClO}_{4}\) c. \(\mathrm{CsNO}_{3}\) d. \(\mathrm{K}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}\)

Short answer

The balanced chemical equations for the formation of the given salts from the reaction of appropriate strong acids and strong bases are: a. \(HCl + KOH \rightarrow KCl + H_2O\) b. \(HClO_{4} + NaOH \rightarrow NaClO_{4} + H_2O\) c. \(HNO_{3} + CsOH \rightarrow CsNO_{3} + H_2O\) d. \(H_{2}SO_{4} + 2KOH \rightarrow K_{2}SO_{4} + 2H_2O\)

Step-by-step solution

Identify the acid and base required to form each salt.

We need to identify the acid and base required to form each salt. To do this, we break down each salt into its respective ions and identify the corresponding strong acids and strong bases: a. KCl: Potassium ion (K+) and chloride ion (Cl-). Acid: Hydrochloric acid (HCl), Base: Potassium hydroxide (KOH). b. \(\mathrm{NaClO}_{4}\): Sodium ion (Na+) and perchlorate ion (ClO4-). Acid: Perchloric acid (HClO4), Base: Sodium hydroxide (NaOH). c. \(\mathrm{CsNO}_{3}\): Cesium ion (Cs+) and nitrate ion (NO3-). Acid: Nitric acid (HNO3), Base: Cesium hydroxide (CsOH). d. \(\mathrm{K}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}\): Potassium ion (K+) and sulfate ion (SO4 2-). Acid: Sulfuric acid (H2SO4), Base: Potassium hydroxide (KOH). Now, we can proceed to write the balanced chemical equations for the formation of each salt.

Write the balanced chemical equations.

In this step, we will write the chemical equations showing the formation of salts from the reactions of strong acids and strong bases. a. KCl formation: \(HCl + KOH \rightarrow KCl + H_2O\) b. \(\mathrm{NaClO}_{4}\) formation: \(HClO_{4} + NaOH \rightarrow NaClO_{4} + H_2O\) c. \(\mathrm{CsNO}_{3}\) formation: \(HNO_{3} + CsOH \rightarrow CsNO_{3} + H_2O\) d. \(\mathrm{K}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}\) formation: \(H_{2}SO_{4} + 2KOH \rightarrow K_{2}SO_{4} + 2H_2O\) These are the balanced chemical equations showing the formation of each given salt from the reaction of the appropriate strong acid and strong base, with water as the other product.

Key concepts

Salts Formation

Salts are created when an acid reacts with a base. During this chemical reaction, the hydrogen ions from the acid combine with the hydroxide ions from the base to form water. This process is known as neutralization. The remaining ions from the acid and the base form the salt.
Here’s how the process unfolds:

• When hydrochloric acid (HCl) reacts with potassium hydroxide (KOH), chloride ions (Cl^-) combine with potassium ions (K⁺) to create potassium chloride (KCl).
• For sodium perchlorate (\( \mathrm{NaClO}_{4}\)), sodium ions (Na⁺) join with perchlorate ions (\( \mathrm{ClO}_{4}^{-}\)).
• Cesium nitrate (\( \mathrm{CsNO}_{3}\)) is formed by the reaction of nitric acid with cesium hydroxide.
• Potassium sulfate (\( \mathrm{K}_{2}\mathrm{SO}_{4}\)) results when sulfuric acid combines with potassium hydroxide.

These reactions are fundamental in chemistry and understanding them helps in grasping the concept of salts formation in various applications.

Strong Acids and Bases

Strong acids and bases are substances that completely dissociate into their ions in water. This means they separate into their hydrogen or hydroxyl ions and the corresponding anions or cations completely, making them excellent at conducting electricity.

Characteristics of Strong Acids:

• Strong acids like hydrochloric acid (HCl) completely dissociate into hydrogen ions (H⁺) and chloride ions (Cl^-) in water.
• Other examples include sulfuric acid (\( \mathrm{H}_{2}\mathrm{SO}_{4}\)), nitric acid (HNO₃), and perchloric acid (\( \mathrm{HClO}_{4}\)).

Characteristics of Strong Bases:

• Strong bases like potassium hydroxide (KOH) fully dissociate into potassium ions (K⁺) and hydroxide ions (OH^-).
• Common examples include sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and cesium hydroxide (CsOH).

Recognizing strong acids and bases is crucial for predicting the outcomes of chemical reactions, especially when working with reactions involving salts.

Balanced Chemical Equations

A balanced chemical equation is essential because it shows that matter is conserved in a chemical reaction. It illustrates that the number of atoms for each element in the reactants side is equal to the number of atoms in the products side.

To balance a chemical equation, follow these steps:

• Start by writing the unbalanced equation. Identify all reactants and products.
• Count the number of atoms for each element on both sides of the equation.
• Adjust the coefficients to get equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides.
• Repeat the process until the equation is balanced.

For example, the reaction of sulfuric acid with potassium hydroxide to form \( \mathrm{K}_{2}\mathrm{SO}_{4}\) is balanced as follows:\[\mathrm{H}_{2}\mathrm{SO}_{4} + 2\mathrm{KOH} \rightarrow \mathrm{K}_{2}\mathrm{SO}_{4} + 2\mathrm{H}_{2}\mathrm{O}\]The coefficient '2' before KOH and H₂O ensures that all atoms are accounted for on both sides. Understanding how to balance chemical equations is key for anyone studying chemistry.