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Neutralisation for AQA A-level Chemistry







This page covers the following topics:
1. Neutralising carboxylic acids
Carboxylic acids react with some metal oxides and metal hydroxides to produce a salt and water.
CaO + 2CH₃COOH → (CH₃COO)₂Ca + H₂O
KOH + CH₃COOH → CH₃COOK + H₂O
Carboxylic acids react with metal carbonates to produce a salt, water and carbon dioxide.
MgCO₃ + 2CH₃COOH → (CH₃COO)₂Mg + H₂O + CO₂

1
Provide a balanced chemical equation for the reaction between butanoic acid and sodium oxide.
Carboxylic acids react with some metal oxides and metal hydroxides to produce a salt and water.
Na₂O + 2CH₃CH₂CH₂COOH → 2CH₃CH₂CH₂COONa + H₂O
2
What is a balanced equation for the reaction of butanoic acid with strontium oxide?
Carboxylic acids react with some metal oxides and metal hydroxides to produce a salt and water.
SrO + 2CH₃CH₂CH₂COOH → (CH₃CH₂CH₂COO)₂Sr + H₂O
3
Which hydrogen in a carboxylic acid molecule most commonly participates in a neutralisation reaction?
Carboxylic acids react with some metal oxides and metal hydroxides to produce a salt and water. For example, KOH + CH₃COOH → CH₃COOK + H₂O. Therefore, the hydrogen in the carboxylic group is involved in the reaction.
4

4
Provide a chemical equation for a reaction between ethanoic acid and sodium carbonate.
Carboxylic acids react with metal carbonates to produce a salt, water and carbon dioxide.
Na₂CO₃ + 2CH₃COOH → 2CH₃COONa + H₂O + CO₂
5
A carboxylic acid can be neutralised in a few different ways. Explain why such reactions do not always result in the production of carbon dioxide.
Carboxylic acids react with some metal oxides and metal hydroxides to produce a salt and water. Carboxylic acids react with metal carbonates to produce a salt, water and carbon dioxide. When carboxylic acids are neutralised by bases there would be no CO₂ produced, while when they react with metal carbonates carbon dioxide would be produced.
When carboxylic acids react with metal carbonates CO₂ is produced, while when they react with bases - not.
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