Question

When a strong acid is added to a carbonate such as sodium carbonate, it undergoes two reactions and eventually decomposes to ________?

1) Sodium chloride
2) Sodium hydroxide
3) Carbon dioxide
4) Water

Answer 1

Adding a strong acid to sodium carbonate yields sodium chloride, carbon dioxide, and water. The strong acid replaces the carbonate part with its anion, releasing carbon dioxide gas and forming water as a byproduct.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a strong acid is added to a carbonate such as sodium carbonate, the chemical reaction that ensues leads to the formation of several products, including a salt, carbon dioxide, and water.

Specifically, considering hydrochloric acid reacting with sodium carbonate, the balanced chemical equation is:

Na₂CO₃ (aq) + 2HCl (aq) → 2 NaCl (aq) + CO₂ (g) + H₂O (l)

This reaction illustrates that when sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) reacts with a strong acid like hydrochloric acid (HCl), the resulting products are sodium chloride (NaCl), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and water (H₂O).

Therefore, the decomposition of sodium carbonate by a strong acid eventually produces carbon dioxide and water, along with the corresponding salt of the acid.