Question

I put a hard-boiled egg in some ethanoic acid. It took longer for the shell to react completely. Suggest the reason for this.

Answer 1

Soaking this egg shell in ethanoic acid initiates a chemical reaction that dissolves the calcium carbonate shell. Ethanoic acid reacts with the calcium carbonate in the egg shell, producing carbon dioxide gas, which appears as bubbles on the shell.

What is ethanoic acid known as?

Acetic acid (CH3COOH), also known as ethanoic acid, is the most important carboxylic acid. A vinegar is a dilute (approximately 5% by volume) solution of acetic acid produced by fermentation and oxidation of natural carbohydrates; acetate is an acetic acid salt, ester, or acylal.

Many industries make extensive use of ethanolic acid. It is used in the production of esters, vinegar, and a variety of polymeric materials. Vinegar has been shown to lower high blood sugar levels. Used to lyse red blood cells before examining white blood cells.

Answer 2

The higher temperature of boiling water compared to ethanoic acid results in a faster reaction rate, causing the shell to react more quickly. This explains why it took longer for the shell to react completely in ethanoic acid.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reason the shell took longer to react completely when the hard-boiled egg was placed in ethanoic acid is because the acid had a slower reaction rate compared to boiling water. The reaction rate of a chemical reaction depends on temperature, where higher temperatures usually result in faster reactions. In boiling water, the temperature is around 100 degrees Celsius, while the temperature of ethanoic acid is lower.

Temperature directly affects the rate of a reaction by providing the reactant molecules with more kinetic energy, which increases the chances of successful collisions and the rate of reaction.

Therefore, because the ethanoic acid has a lower temperature than boiling water, the reaction between the acid and the shell of the hard-boiled egg progresses slower, resulting in a longer time for the shell to completely react.