CBSE Tutorials

How do Metal Carbonates and Metal Hydrogencarbonates React with Acids?

Activity 2.5

1. Take two test tubes, label them as A and B.
2. Take about 0.5 g of sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) in test tube A and about 0.5 g of sodium hydrogencarbonate (NaHCO₃) in test tube B.
3. Add about 2 mL of dilute HCl to both the test tubes.
4. What do you observe?
5. Pass the gas produced in each case through lime water (calcium hydroxide solution) as shown in Fig. 2.2 and record your observations.

The reactions occurring in the above Activity are written as –

On passing the carbon dioxide gas evolved through lime water,

On passing excess carbon dioxide the following reaction takes place:

Limestone, chalk and marble are different forms of calcium carbonate. All metal carbonates and hydrogencarbonates react with acids to give a corresponding salt, carbon dioxide and water.

Thus, the reaction can be summarised as –

Metal carbonate/Metal hydrogencarbonate + Acid → Salt + Carbon dioxide + Water