Using neutralisation reactions in everyday life

Neutra li sation reactions are used in our daily lives.

....
Table 9.8 Neutralisation reactions in everyday life

Toothpaste Sodium
. . "
Toothpaste helps reduce tooth decay which is caused by
hydrogencarbonate acid in the mouth reacting with the calcium hydroxyapatite
and sodium (Ca ,o(PO),(OH), ) in too th enamel:
monofluorophosphate • Sodium hydrogencarbonate neutralises any acid present.
(Na,FPO,)
• F- ions in the sodium monofluorophosphate displace the
O H- ions in the ca lcium hydroxyapatite forming calcium
fluoroapatite (Ca ,o(PO, )l, ):
Caro(PO, ),(OH), (s) + 2F-(aq) • Ca ,o(PO) l , (s) + 20H-(aq)
Calcium flu oroapatite does not react with acid, therefore tooth
enamel is protected from decaying.
Soil 'Lime' in the form of Adding lime to soil neutralises any acids present, since most
treatment ca lcium oxide (CaO) plants grow best if the soil pH is neutral.
or ca lcium hydroxide Lime cannot be added at the same time as an ammonium
(Ca(OH),) fertil iser because the two react to form a sa lt, ammonia
and wate r:
e.g. CaO(s) + 2NH; (aq ) ----1.~ Ca'« aq) + 2N H/g) + H, O(l)
The lime and the NH; ions are no longer avai lable in the soil,
so the benefits of both are lost.
Antacids Sodium Antacids are used to treat indigestion and acid reflux. They do
hydrogencarbonate this by neutralising excess hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
(NaHCO,),
magnesium hydroxide
(Mg(OH), ) aluminium
hydroxide (AI(OH),)
or magnesium
carbonate (MgCO,>

Volumetric analysis
Volumetric analysis involves performing a titration and using the res ults quantitatively in one of
two ways:
• To calculate the mole ratio in which the two reactants combine .
• To calculate the molar concentration or mass concentration of one of the reactants used.

Using a titration to determine mole ratios

If both reactants are standard solutions (their mass or molar concentrations are known) the mole ratio
in which they combine can be determined.

78 9 Concise Revision Course: CSEC· Chemistry

Exa mple
To determine the mo le ratio in which alkali X and acid Y com bin e, 25.0 em' of alkali X of concentration
0.24 mo l dm-' was measured in a pipette and run into a co ni ca l flask. Acid Y of conce ntration
0.2 mol dm-' was placed in a burette and a titrati o n was perfo rm ed. The res ults are given below:

Initial burette reading/cm' 15.1

15.1 15.0 15.0

Volume of acid Y needed to neutralise 25.0 em' of alkali X = 15.0 cm'

Determ in e the number of moles of alkali X that reacted:
1 dm' o f alkali X(aq) contains 0.24 mo l X
i.e. 1000 em' of alkali X(a q) contains 0.24 mol X

:. 25.0 cm' of alkali X(aq) contains 0.24 x 25.0 mol X

1000
= 0.006 mol X
Determ ine the number of moles of acid Y that reacted :
1 dm ' of ac id Y(aq ) contains 0.2 mol Y
i.e. 1000 em' of acid Y(aq) contains 0.2 mol Y

:. 15.0 em' of acid Y(aq) contains...Q2.. x 15.0 mo l Y

1000
= 0.003 mol Y

Determine th e mole ratio in which the reac tants combin e:

0.006 mol X reacts wi th 0.003 mol Y
:. 2 mol X react wi th 1 mol Y

Using a titration to determine concentration

If one reacta nt is a standard solution (i ts mass or mo lar concen tration is known), the concentration of
th e o th er reactan t can be determined by followin g th e sa me six ste ps used on p. 60.

Exa mple
To determin e the molar concentration of a so lutio n of sulfuri c acid, 25.0 em' of potassi um hydroxide
solution of co nce ntration 0.4 mol dm -' was measured in a pipette and run into a conical fla sk. The
sulfur ic acid w as placed in a burette and a titration was performed. The results are given below:

Final burette reading/cm' 20.1 40.3 20.0

Initial burette reading/cm' 0.0 20.3 0.0
V lume of acid added/cm' 20.1 20.0 20.0

Vol ume of su lfuri c acid needed to neutra lise 25.0 em' o f potassium hyd roxide solut ion = 20.0 em'

9 Acids, bases and sa lts

 Steps 1 and 2:
2KOH(aq) + H 2 S0 4 (aq) --... K, SO/aq) + 2H,o(l)
25.0 em 3 20.0 em 3

0.4 mol dm -' ? concentration

Volume and concentration of KOH(aq) are known, concen tration of H,SO/aq) is unknown.
Step 3: Find the number of moles of the known reactant, i.e. KOH, using its volume and concentration:
1 dm' KOH(aq) co ntains 0.4 mol KOH
i.e. 1000 em' KOH (aq) contains 0.4 mol KOH

:. 25.0 em' KOH(aq) contains J!:±.. x 25.0 mol KOH

1000
; 0.01 mol KOH

Step 4: Use the balanced equation to determine the mole ratio between the KOH and the H 2 S0 4 :
2 mol KOH react with 1 mol H 2S0 4
Step 5: Use the number of moles of KOH from step 3 and th e mole ratio from step 4 to calculate the
number of moles of H, S04 that reacted:

0.01 mol KOH reacts with..:!.. x om

mol H, S04
2
; 0.005 mol H,S04

Step 6: Use the number of mol es of H, S04from step 5 and the volume used in the titration to
determine the molar concentration of the H, SO/aq ):
Since 20.0 em' H, S04 was used:
20.0 em' H, S04(aq) contains 0.005 mol H2 S0 4

:. 1000 em' H,S04(aq) contains 0.005 x 1000 mol H, S04

20.0
; 0.25 mol H,S04
Molar concentration of H, S04(aq) ; 0.25 mol dm-'

During a titration it was found that 15.0 em' of nitric acid of concentration 0.6 mol dm-'
neutralised 25.0 em' of sodium carbonate solution of unknown concentration. Determine the
mass concentration of the sodium carbonate solution.

Steps 1 and 2:
Na, CO, (aq) + 2HNO,(aq) --.... 2NaNO, (aq) + H, O(l)
25.0 em' 15.0 em'
? concentration 0.6 mol dm-'
Volume and concentration of HNO,(aq) are known, concentration of Na,CO,(aq)
is unknown .
Step 3: 1 dm' HNO, (aq) contains 0.6 mol HNO,
i.e. 1000 em' HNO, (aq) contains 0.6 mol HNO,

:. 15.0 em' HNO,(aq) contains ~ x 15.0 mol HNO,

1000
; 0.009 mol HNO,
Step 4: 1 mol Na,CO, reacts with 2 mol HNO,

80 9 Concise Revision Course: CSEC· Chemistry

 Step 5: .:!. x 0.009 mol
Na, CO, reacts with 0.009 mol HNO,
2
= 0.0045 mol Na,CO,
Step 6: Since 25.0 em ' Na, CO, was used:
25.0 em' Na, CO, (aq) contains 0.0045 mol Na, CO,
:. 1000 em' Na,CO,(aq) contains 0.0045 x 1000 mol Na, CO,
25.0
= 0.18 mol Na,CO,
i.e. molar concentration of Na, CO,(aq) = 0.18 mol dm-'
Mass of 1 mol Na, CO, = (2 x 23) + 12 + (3 x 16) g
= 106 g
:. mass of 0.18 mol Na,CO, =0.18 xl06g
= 19.08 g
Mass concentration of Na, CO, (aq) = 19.08 g dm-'

Revision questions
12 What is a salt?

13 Distinguish between a normal salt and an acid salt, and give a named example
of EACH.

14 What is water of crystallisation?

15 Describe briefly, but including all essential experimental details and a relevant
equation, how you would prepare a pure, dry sample of EACH of the following:
a zinc nitrate starting with zinc carbonate
b barium sulfate
c potassium sulfate starting with potassium hydroxide
d anhydrous iron (llI) chloride

16 Name FOUR different salts used in daily life and give one use of each.

17 a What is a neutralisation reaction?

b What is the neutralisation point?

18 How does toothpaste help reduce tooth decay?

19 It was found that 7.5 em' of hydrochloric acid of concentration 2.0 mol dm-'
neutralised 15.0 em' of sodium carbonate solution of concentration 53.0 g dm -]
Determine the mole ratio in which the reactants combined.

20 25.0 em ' of sulfuric acid of concentration 0.2 mol dm -' exactly neutralised 40.0 em' of
sodium hydroxide solution . Determine the mass concentration of the sodium
hydroxide solution.

9 Acids, bases and salts