Can someone please explain the behavior of HCl/NaOH mixture as to why it started bubbling/dissolving when combined with Mg and with NH4Cl and why when blue litmus paper was dipped in the HCl/NaOH mixture it turned red.

Also can someone explain the correct behavior that is supposed to be ellcited by the HCL/NaOH mixture and why?

I would greatly appreciate it. Ive been pondering and thinking about these questions but Im stuck. Please help me.
Thanks

I am wondering what amounts of HCl, NaOH, and ammonium chloride? What was the purpose of the experiment?

Thanks.

The purpose of the experiment was to compare the properties of an acid (0.1M) and a base (0.1M NaOH) with those of water.I used 5ml of HCl and 5ml of NaOH. All it says is a small piece of amminium chloride.I hope this helps!!

When HCl (hydrochloric acid) and NaOH (sodium hydroxide) are mixed together, they undergo a neutralization reaction. This reaction results in the formation of water (H2O) and a salt, in this case, sodium chloride (NaCl).

1. Reaction with Mg:
When magnesium (Mg) is added to the HCl/NaOH mixture, the following reaction occurs:
2HCl + Mg → MgCl2 + H2

In this reaction, hydrogen gas (H2) is produced as bubbles, which you observe as bubbling. The magnesium reacts with hydrochloric acid, displacing hydrogen and forming magnesium chloride (MgCl2).

2. Reaction with NH4Cl:
When the HCl/NaOH mixture comes into contact with ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), the following reaction happens:
NaOH + NH4Cl → NaCl + H2O + NH3

Here, a gas, ammonia (NH3), is released. The mixture may bubble as a result of the gaseous ammonia evolving. Additionally, water and sodium chloride are formed as products.

3. Blue litmus paper turning red:
Blue litmus paper is usually used to test for the presence of acids. In the case of the HCl/NaOH mixture, the solution is acidic due to the presence of excess hydrochloric acid. When the blue litmus paper is dipped in the mixture, it is the acid (HCl) that reacts with the paper, causing it to turn red. This reaction is an indicator that the mixture is acidic.

Correct behavior of HCl/NaOH mixture:
The correct behavior expected from the HCl/NaOH mixture is for a complete neutralization reaction to occur. This means that all of the acid (HCl) and base (NaOH) react completely, resulting in the formation of water and a salt. In this case, sodium chloride (NaCl) is the salt that would be formed.

It is important to note that observing bubbling, dissolving, color changes, or other reactions depends on the specific chemicals and conditions being used. The behavior can vary depending on factors such as concentration, temperature, and reaction environment.

Sure, I'd be happy to help you understand these observations!

1. Bubbling/dissolving when combined with Mg:
When hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) are combined, a neutralization reaction occurs. In this reaction, HCl (a strong acid) reacts with NaOH (a strong base) to form water (H2O) and sodium chloride (NaCl). The balanced chemical equation for this reaction is:

HCl + NaOH -> H2O + NaCl

When magnesium (Mg) is added to the HCl/NaOH mixture, another chemical reaction happens. Magnesium reacts with hydrochloric acid to form magnesium chloride (MgCl2) and hydrogen gas (H2):

Mg + 2HCl -> MgCl2 + H2↑

The bubbling you observed is due to the release of hydrogen gas during this reaction. The MgCl2 formed dissolves in the remaining mixture.

2. Bubbling/dissolving when combined with NH4Cl:
When ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) is added to the HCl/NaOH mixture, a different reaction occurs. Ammonium chloride is an acid salt, so when it dissolves in water, it releases H+ ions. These H+ ions can then react with the OH- ions from NaOH, resulting in the formation of water:

NH4Cl + NaOH -> NH3 + H2O + NaCl

The formation of ammonia gas (NH3) leads to bubbling. The resulting water and sodium chloride dissolve in the remaining mixture.

3. Blue litmus paper turning red in the HCl/NaOH mixture:
Litmus paper is used to determine whether a solution is acidic or basic. Blue litmus paper turns red in the presence of an acid, indicating the presence of hydrogen ions (H+). In the HCl/NaOH mixture, the HCl is a strong acid, while NaOH is a strong base. When the two are mixed, they neutralize each other, resulting in the formation of water and sodium chloride. However, some excess H+ ions from HCl may still be present. These H+ ions react with the blue litmus paper, causing it to turn red.

The correct behavior of the HCl/NaOH mixture is to undergo a neutralization reaction, where the acid and base combine to form water and a salt. The solution becomes neutral (pH 7) because the concentration of H+ and OH- ions is equal. Any deviation from this behavior, such as the observations you described, can be due to the presence of other substances reacting with the mixture.

I hope this explanation helps you understand the behavior of the HCl/NaOH mixture and the observations you made! Let me know if you have any further questions.