Question

A strong acid, such as hydrochloric acid cannot be poured down a sink because it will react and dissolve the metal in the pipes. Yet a strong base, commonly found in drain cleaner, can be poured down a sink. A strong acid can be neutralized with a strong base, creating a salty water solution. What will happen when 10.0 g of hydrochloric acid were mixed with 10.5 grams of calcium hydroxide?

Answer 1

15.2 grams of calcium chloride are produced and HCl is the limiting reactant.

Step-by-step explanation:

Hello there!

In this case, according to the described scenario, it is possible to realize that the reaction between hydrochloric acid and calcium hydroxide is:

`2HCl+Ca(OH)_2\rightarrow CaCl_2+2H_2O`

Whereas there is a 2:1 mole ratio of the acid to the base. In such a way, with the given masses, we can compute how much calcium chloride product is produced due to the chemical reaction via stoichiometry:

`m_(CaCl_2)^(by HCl)=10.0gHCl*(1molHCl)/(36.46gHCl)*(1molCaCl_2)/(2molHCl) *(110.98gCaCl_2)/(1molCaCl_2) =15.2gCaCl_2\\\\m_(CaCl_2)^(by Ca(OH)_2)=10.5gHCl*(1molCa(OH)_2)/(74.09gCa(OH)_2)*(1molCaCl_2)/(1molCa(OH)_2) *(110.98gCaCl_2)/(1molCaCl_2) =15.7gCaCl_2`

Whereas we infer that the correct amount is 15.2 g since HCl is the limiting reactant as it produces the fewest grams of the desired product. Consequently, the calcium hydroxide is the excess reactant here.

Regards!