Question

When finely divided solid sodium is dropped into a flask containing chlorine gas, an explosion occurs and a fine powder of sodium chloride is deposited on the walls of the flask. Write the unbalanced chemical equation for this process.

Short answer

The unbalanced chemical equation for the reaction between finely divided solid sodium (Na) and chlorine gas (Cl2) is: \[ Na(s) + Cl2(g) \rightarrow NaCl(s) \]

Step-by-step solution

Identify the reactants and their states

In this exercise, the reactants are finely divided solid sodium and chlorine gas. Thus, the reactants are: 1. Sodium (Na) in solid state (s) 2. Chlorine (Cl2) in gaseous state (g)

Identify the products and their states

The reaction results in an explosion, producing a fine powder of sodium chloride (NaCl) which is deposited on the walls of the flask. This means that the product is sodium chloride in solid state (s).

Write the unbalanced chemical equation

Using the reactants and products identified, we can now write the unbalanced chemical equation for the reaction: Na(s) + Cl2(g) -> NaCl(s) This equation represents the unbalanced form of the chemical reaction between solid sodium and chlorine gas, resulting in solid sodium chloride.

Key concepts

Reactants and Products

Understanding the basics of a chemical reaction begins with distinguishing between reactants and products. Reactants are the starting materials of the reaction, what you begin with before the reaction takes place. Products, on the other hand, are the substances that are formed as a result of the reaction.

In the context of the provided exercise, the reactants are solid sodium (Na) and chlorine gas (Cl₂), while the sole product is solid sodium chloride (NaCl). When we illustrate this in a chemical equation, the reactants are listed on the left side, while the products are on the right, as follows:
Na(s) + Cl₂(g) → NaCl(s).

During the reaction, the bonds in the reactants are broken and new bonds are formed to create the products.

Unbalanced Chemical Equation

In chemistry, it's essential for equations to be balanced to reflect the conservation of mass. An unbalanced chemical equation has a different number of atoms for each element on the reactant side compared to the product side. This is common when initially writing down the reaction, as seen with the provided exercise:
Na(s) + Cl₂(g) → NaCl(s).

This equation is unbalanced because the number of chlorine atoms on the reactant side does not match the number of chlorine atoms in the product. To solve this, steps must be taken to ensure that the same number of each type of atom appears on both sides of the equation. This process is known as balancing the equation.

Chemical Reaction Process

A chemical reaction describes the process where reactants transform into products, often accompanied by energy changes, color changes, the formation of a precipitate, or the production of gas. In the explosive reaction between sodium and chlorine, the reactants combine to form the ionic compound sodium chloride. The reaction can be exothermic, releasing energy in the form of heat or light, as seen by the 'explosion' mentioned in the exercise.

The process typically involves breaking old bonds in the reactants and creating new ones in the products, which requires a rearrangement of atoms. In the example given, the atoms of sodium and chlorine rearrange themselves, resulting in a stable ionic lattice structure of sodium chloride.

States of Matter

The 'states of matter' refer to the distinct forms that different physical substances take on, commonly known as solid, liquid, and gas. Each state has characteristic properties and behavior. Solids, like the sodium (Na) and sodium chloride (NaCl) in our example, retain a fixed volume and shape. Gases, such as chlorine gas (Cl₂), expand to fill their container and have much lower densities compared to solids and liquids.

When writing a chemical equation, it's crucial to denote the state of matter for each reactant and product because it can affect how the substances interact. States of matter in equations are typically indicated by the abbreviations (s) for solid, (l) for liquid, (g) for gas, and (aq) for aqueous, which means dissolved in water.