Question

complete and balance the equation for the reaction of sodium bicarbonate with acetic acidNaHCO3 + C2H3O2H =

Answer 1

We have to complete and balance the equation of the following equation:

`NaHCO_3+C_2H_3O_2H\to?`

We can decompose each ion in order to complete the reaction like this:

`Na^++HCO^-_3+C_2H_3O_2H\to?`

Sodium bicarbonate is a basis, while acetic acid is an acid. So, remember when a basis is reacting with an acid, it forms carbon dioxide and water. We can write that, like this:

`Na^++HCO^-_3+C_2H_3O_2H\to Na^++C_2H_3O^-_2+H_2O+CO_2.`

You can see that we use the bicarbonate ion and took one hydrogen from the acetic acid to form the water and carbon dioxide. So, the next step is "joining the cation and the anion" in this way:

`\text{NaHCO}_3+C_2H_3O_2H\to NaC_2H_3O_2+H_2O+CO_2._{}`

The final step is balancing the chemical equation:

`\text{NaH}CO_3+C_2H_3O_2H\to NaC_2H_3O_2+H_2O+CO_2.`

Which is the same that the last one.