If you added .1 M NaOH to 1 M HCO2H a few millimeters at a time what would happen?
When you add 0.1 M NaOH (sodium hydroxide) to 1 M HCO2H (formic acid) a few millimeters at a time, a neutralization reaction will occur between the two substances. Formic acid is a weak acid while sodium hydroxide is a strong base.
To understand what would happen, we need to consider the reaction between the acid and the base:
HCO2H + NaOH -> HCO2Na + H2O
In this reaction, formic acid (HCO2H) reacts with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to form sodium formate (HCO2Na) and water (H2O). Sodium formate is a salt of formic acid.
As you add the sodium hydroxide solution slowly to the formic acid solution, the base will react with the acid incrementally. At the beginning, when the first few millimeters of sodium hydroxide are added, they will react quickly with the formic acid to produce sodium formate and water. The reaction will continue as you add more sodium hydroxide.
However, because formic acid is a weak acid, the reaction will not be as rapid as it would be with a strong acid. With each addition of sodium hydroxide, you will notice a gradual increase in the formation of sodium formate and water. The solution will become more basic as the concentration of hydroxide ions (OH-) increases due to the addition of sodium hydroxide.
It's important to note that since formic acid is weak, the reaction will not go to completion until most of the formic acid has reacted with the sodium hydroxide. The pH of the resulting solution will depend on the relative amounts of formic acid and sodium hydroxide. The exact pH can be calculated using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation or measured using a pH meter.
In summary, by adding small amounts of sodium hydroxide to formic acid incrementally, a neutralization reaction will take place, resulting in the formation of sodium formate and water. The solution will gradually become more basic as more sodium hydroxide is added, but the exact pH will depend on the stoichiometry of the reaction and the initial concentrations of formic acid and sodium hydroxide.