Final answer:
The balanced chemical equation for the esterification of acetic acid with ethanol to form ethyl acetate and water is CH3CO₂H + C₂H5OH → CH3CO₂C₂H5 + H₂O. This is a typical acid-catalyzed equilibrium reaction between a carboxylic acid and an alcohol to form an ester and water.
Step-by-step explanation:
The balanced equation for the reaction between acetic acid (CH3CO₂H) and ethanol (C₂H5OH) to form ethyl acetate (CH3CO₂C₂H5) is as follows:
CH3CO₂H (acetic acid) + C₂H5OH (ethanol) → CH3CO₂C₂H5 (ethyl acetate) + H₂O (water)
This reaction is an example of an esterification process where a carboxylic acid reacts with an alcohol to form an ester and water. The reaction is typically acid-catalyzed and can reach an equilibrium state, which is often shifted towards products by removing water from the reaction mixture or using a large excess of one of the reactants. Since both acetic acid and ethanol are liquids, the equilibrium constant would be Kc, which considers the concentrations of the reactants and products in the mixture.