MaVa = MbVb can be used for the reaction between HCl and NaOH. Can it be used for the reaction between NaOH and H2C2O4 (oxalic acid, which can be found in rhubarb leaves, contains 2 acidic protons)? Explain your answer showing the balanced equation
Thanks for making sense of it for me!!
So, MaVa = MbVb implies that for the same mass and volume, neutralization will be possible because of a 1:1 ratio. This is seen in HCL + NaOH reaction:
HCl + NaOH = NaCl + H20
As you can see no balancing, and there is the same coefficient in front of HCl as there is NaOH (it's a 1, so we don't put it visible)
This is different for NaOH and H2C2O4 as seen by this equation:
H2C2O4 + 2NaOH = 2H2O + Na2C2O4
While the coefficient for H2C2O4 is 1, the NaOH has a 2 in front of it. This means that for this reaction
MaVa = 2(MbVb)
and does NOT equal
MaVa = MbVb
To determine whether the equation MaVa = MbVb can be used for the reaction between NaOH and H2C2O4 (oxalic acid), we need to first write the balanced equation for the reaction.
The balanced equation for the reaction between NaOH and H2C2O4 can be written as follows:
2 NaOH + H2C2O4 -> Na2C2O4 + 2 H2O
From the balanced equation, we can see that 2 moles of NaOH react with 1 mole of H2C2O4 to produce 1 mole of Na2C2O4 and 2 moles of water.
Now, let's analyze the equation MaVa = MbVb. This equation is known as the stoichiometric equation and is used to relate the quantities of reactants and products in a chemical reaction.
In the equation, Ma is the number of moles of substance A, Va is the volume of substance A, Mb is the number of moles of substance B, and Vb is the volume of substance B.
The equation MaVa = MbVb is based on the molar ratio of reactants to products in the balanced equation. It assumes that the coefficients in the balanced equation represent the stoichiometric ratios between the reactants and products.
In the case of the reaction between NaOH and H2C2O4, the stoichiometric ratio is 2:1 for NaOH to H2C2O4. However, the equation MaVa = MbVb assumes a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio.
Therefore, the equation MaVa = MbVb cannot be used for the reaction between NaOH and H2C2O4, as the stoichiometric ratios do not match.
To determine if the equation MaVa = MbVb can be used for the reaction between NaOH and H2C2O4, we first need to understand what this equation represents.
The equation MaVa = MbVb is known as the equation of stoichiometry or the equation of equivalent concentration. It expresses the relationship between the stoichiometric coefficients (M) of the reactants and the volumes (V) of the reactants used in a balanced chemical equation.
For example, let's consider the reaction between HCl and NaOH, which is a neutralization reaction:
HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H2O
In this reaction, one mole of HCl reacts with one mole of NaOH, resulting in the formation of one mole of NaCl and one mole of water.
Using the equation MaVa = MbVb, we can say that the coefficient of HCl (Ma) multiplied by the volume of HCl (Va) is equal to the coefficient of NaOH (Mb) multiplied by the volume of NaOH (Vb).
Now, let's examine the reaction between NaOH and H2C2O4:
NaOH + H2C2O4 → ?
First, we need to balance the equation by assigning stoichiometric coefficients to the reactants and products:
NaOH + H2C2O4 → Na2C2O4 + H2O
In this balanced equation, we see that one mole of NaOH reacts with one mole of H2C2O4, resulting in the formation of one mole of Na2C2O4 and one mole of water.
Since the stoichiometric coefficients for NaOH and H2C2O4 are both 1, we can plug these values into the equation MaVa = MbVb:
1 * Va = 1 * Vb
Since the stoichiometric coefficients matching, the equation MaVa = MbVb can be used for the reaction between NaOH and H2C2O4.
However, it is important to note that the equation of stoichiometry holds only if the solution is dilute and the reaction proceeds to completion. If the reaction is not complete or if there are side reactions or complex formation, the equation may not hold true.