What happens when a metal sulfate reacts with an acid?
Give an example.
Na2SO4 for example? In most cases I would answer nothing happens; however, technically, since k2 for H2SO4 is a weak acid then a portion of the H^+ from the acid is converted to HSO4^-
I posted the response above.
When a metal sulfate reacts with an acid, a chemical reaction called neutralization occurs. This reaction usually involves the metal cation from the metal sulfate and the hydrogen ion from the acid. The products of this reaction are salt and water. Here's a step-by-step explanation of how to determine the products and write the balanced chemical equation for this reaction:
1. Identify the metal sulfate and acid involved in the reaction. Let's use the example of copper sulfate (CuSO4) and hydrochloric acid (HCl).
2. Write the balanced chemical equation for the reaction. The general form of the reaction is:
Metal sulfate + Acid → Salt + Water
In our example,
CuSO4 + HCl → CuCl2 + H2O
3. Determine the charges of the metal cation and the acid's hydrogen ion. Copper (Cu) has a charge of +2, and hydrogen (H) has a charge of +1.
4. Swap the metal cation with the hydrogen ion in the reactants to form the salt. In our example, the copper cation combines with the chloride anion from the hydrochloric acid to form copper chloride (CuCl2).
5. Write the balanced equation, ensuring that the charges are balanced on both sides. In our example:
CuSO4 + 2HCl → CuCl2 + H2O
So, when a metal sulfate, such as copper sulfate, reacts with an acid, like hydrochloric acid, the products are the salt (copper chloride) and water.