To understand the resulting solution when mixing a sodium carbonate (Na2CO3·H2O) solution with a decimolar sulfuric acid (H2SO4) solution, we need to break down the components and the chemical reactions that occur during the mixing process.
Analyzing the Sodium Carbonate Solution
First, let's look at the sodium carbonate solution. You have 100 mL of a solution containing 0.31 g of Na2CO3·H2O. To find the concentration of Na2CO3 in this solution, we need to calculate the number of moles of Na2CO3·H2O.
Calculating Moles of Na2CO3·H2O
The molar mass of Na2CO3·H2O is approximately:
- Na: 22.99 g/mol (2 Na = 45.98 g/mol)
- C: 12.01 g/mol
- O: 16.00 g/mol (3 O = 48.00 g/mol)
- H2O: 18.02 g/mol
Adding these together gives:
Molar mass of Na2CO3·H2O = 45.98 + 12.01 + 48.00 + 18.02 = 124.01 g/mol
Now, we can calculate the number of moles in 0.31 g:
Moles of Na2CO3·H2O = mass (g) / molar mass (g/mol) = 0.31 g / 124.01 g/mol ≈ 0.0025 moles
Concentration of Sodium Carbonate
Since this is in a 100 mL solution, the concentration (C) can be calculated as:
C = moles / volume (L) = 0.0025 moles / 0.1 L = 0.025 M
Understanding the Sulfuric Acid Solution
The sulfuric acid solution is decimolar, which means it has a concentration of 0.1 M. In 100 mL of this solution, the number of moles of H2SO4 is:
Moles of H2SO4 = concentration (M) × volume (L) = 0.1 M × 0.1 L = 0.01 moles
Reaction Between Na2CO3 and H2SO4
When sodium carbonate reacts with sulfuric acid, the reaction can be represented as follows:
Na2CO3 + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + H2O + CO2↑
This reaction shows that one mole of sodium carbonate reacts with one mole of sulfuric acid to produce sodium sulfate, water, and carbon dioxide gas.
Determining the Limiting Reactant
From our calculations, we have:
- Moles of Na2CO3 = 0.0025 moles
- Moles of H2SO4 = 0.01 moles
Sodium carbonate is the limiting reactant because it has fewer moles compared to sulfuric acid. Therefore, all of the sodium carbonate will react, and some sulfuric acid will remain unreacted.
Final Concentration of Products
After the reaction, the products will include sodium sulfate and water, along with carbon dioxide gas that escapes into the atmosphere. The remaining sulfuric acid can be calculated as follows:
Remaining H2SO4 = Initial moles - reacted moles = 0.01 moles - 0.0025 moles = 0.0075 moles
Concentration of Remaining H2SO4
After mixing, the total volume of the solution is 200 mL (100 mL Na2CO3 solution + 100 mL H2SO4 solution). The concentration of the remaining sulfuric acid is:
Concentration of remaining H2SO4 = moles / volume (L) = 0.0075 moles / 0.2 L = 0.0375 M
Summary of the Resulting Solution
The resulting solution will contain:
- Sodium sulfate (Na2SO4)
- Water (H2O)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) gas (which escapes)
- Remaining sulfuric acid at a concentration of 0.0375 M
This analysis shows how the initial concentrations and volumes of the reactants influence the final composition of the solution. Understanding these relationships is crucial in chemistry, especially in reactions involving acids and bases.