Final answer:
Phenol and benzoic acid are distinguished by their structures and reactivity: phenol has an -OH attached to a benzene ring, and benzoic acid has a carboxylic acid group. Benzoic acid reacts with NaOH and NaHCO3 to form benzoate salts, while phenol reacts only with NaOH to form a phenolate ion.
Step-by-step explanation:
To distinguish between phenol and benzoic acid, we should look at their chemical structures and reactivity. Phenol has an -OH group attached to a benzene ring, whereas benzoic acid has a carboxylic acid group (-COOH) attached to a benzene ring. The reactions of benzoic acid with aquatic sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and with aquatic sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) can be written as follows:
a. Benzoic acid reaction with NaOH:
C6H5COOH(aq) + NaOH(aq) → C6H5COONa(aq) + H2O(l)
b. Benzoic acid reaction with NaHCO3:
C6H5COOH(aq) + NaHCO3(aq) → C6H5COONa(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g)
These reactions highlight that benzoic acid can react with bases to form a salt and water, and in the case of bicarbonate, additionally release carbon dioxide gas. On the other hand, phenol will react with NaOH, forming a phenolate ion:
Phenol reaction with NaOH:
C6H5OH(aq) + NaOH(aq) → C6H5ONa(aq) + H2O(l)
Phenol is slightly acidic; thus, it can form salts with bases similar to benzoic acid, but it does not react with sodium bicarbonate since it is not acidic enough to release CO2 gas. The differences in reactivity and chemical properties are central to distinguishing these two compounds.