Question

One way to identify limestone (calcium carbonate) is to drop a small amount of hydrochloric acid on it. A

positive test results in a fizz of carbon dioxide, water, and one other product being produced. Predict the

other product and write a balanced chemical equation for this reaction.

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

The other product that is produced when hydrochloric acid (HCl) is added to limestone (calcium carbonate) is calcium chloride (CaCl2).

The balanced chemical equation for this reaction is:

CaCO3(s) + 2HCl(aq) -> CaCl2(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g)

In this equation, the solid limestone (CaCO3) reacts with the aqueous hydrochloric acid (HCl) to produce calcium chloride (CaCl2) dissolved in water, water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) as a gas. On a molar basis the reaction is 1:1 between the Calcium carbonate and hydrochloric acid which results in the balanced equation.

It's worth noting that this reaction is an example of an acid-base reaction, where the hydrochloric acid (HCl) acts as the acid, and the limestone (CaCO3) acts as the base. The acid donates a proton (H+) to the base, resulting in the formation of the products.