Solid sodium carbonate reacts with aqueous hydrochloric acid to produce aqueous sodium chloride, water, and carbon dioxide gas. The balanced chemical equation is Na2CO3(s) + 2HCl(aq) → 2NaCl(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g). Given 14.7 grams of HCl, the amount of CO2 produced can be calculated to be 8.8 grams using the mole ratio from the balanced equation and molar masses.

1. Solid sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) reacts with aqueous HCI to produce aqueous sodium
chloride, water and carbon dioxide gas (CO2). Write out and balance this equation (in the order
given above) using integers as your coefficients. Be sure to include phase labels. chemPad Help
Greek ? If 14.7 grams of HCI were used in a reaction with sodium carbonate, how many grams
of CO2 would you expect to form? Hint: this is not an oxid/red reaction, balance by inspection
(counting atoms) grams
Solution
Na 2 CO 3 (s) + 2 HCl (aq) ----------> 2 NaCl (aq) + H 2 O (l) + CO 2 (g)
Number of moles of HCl = Weight of HCl / Molar mass of HCl
= 14.7 g / 36.46 g mol -1
= 0.40 mol
From the balanced equation 2 mol HCl produces 1 mol of CO 2 (2:1 ratio). So 0.40 mol HCl
produces 0.20 mol CO 2 .
Weight of CO2 formed = 0.20 mol x 44 g mol -1
= 8.80 g