Question

Will carbon dioxide be evolved when sodium bicarbonate is added to an aqueous solution of each compound? Explain. (a) Sulfuric acid (b) Ethanol (c) Ammonium chloride

Short answer

Answer: Carbon dioxide will evolve when sodium bicarbonate is added to aqueous solutions of sulfuric acid and ammonium chloride, but not when added to the ethanol solution.

Step-by-step solution

Write the chemical formulas

First, we need to write the chemical formulas for the reactants and products in the reactions. (a) Sodium bicarbonate + Sulfuric acid NaHCO3 + H2SO4 (b) Sodium bicarbonate + Ethanol NaHCO3 + C2H5OH (c) Sodium bicarbonate + Ammonium chloride NaHCO3 + NH4Cl

Identify and balance the chemical reactions

Now we need to identify the possible reactions between sodium bicarbonate and each compound. We will do this by combining the reactants to form products and then balance the resulting chemical equations. (a) Sodium bicarbonate + Sulfuric acid NaHCO3 + H2SO4 -> Na2SO4 + H2O + CO2 Balanced equation: NaHCO3 + H2SO4 -> Na2SO4 + H2O + CO2 (b) Sodium bicarbonate + Ethanol In this case, no reaction occurs between sodium bicarbonate and ethanol, as ethanol is a weak acid and cannot donate a proton to react with the bicarbonate ion. Hence, carbon dioxide will not evolve in this reaction. (c) Sodium bicarbonate + Ammonium chloride NaHCO3 + NH4Cl -> NaCl + NH3 + CO2 + H2O Balanced equation: NaHCO3 + NH4Cl -> NaCl + NH3 + CO2 + H2O

Determine the evolution of carbon dioxide

Finally, we need to check if CO2 is being released in any of the reactions (a) Sodium bicarbonate + Sulfuric acid Balanced equation: NaHCO3 + H2SO4 -> Na2SO4 + H2O + CO2 The reaction produces CO2, so carbon dioxide will evolve when sodium bicarbonate is added to an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid. (b) Sodium bicarbonate + Ethanol No reaction occurs between sodium bicarbonate and ethanol; hence, carbon dioxide will not evolve in this case. (c) Sodium bicarbonate + Ammonium chloride Balanced equation: NaHCO3 + NH4Cl -> NaCl + NH3 + CO2 + H2O The reaction produces CO2, so carbon dioxide will evolve when sodium bicarbonate is added to an aqueous solution of ammonium chloride. In conclusion, carbon dioxide will evolve when sodium bicarbonate is added to aqueous solutions of sulfuric acid and ammonium chloride but not when it's added to the ethanol solution.