15 Facts on HCl + CH3COONa: What, How to Balance & FAQs

Sodium acetate being a weak base it is likely react with strong acids like hydrochloric acid. Let us go over the different properties of this reaction.

This reaction is between the strong acid HCl and weak base sodium acetate. Here sodium acetate is hygroscopic and very likely to be soluble in water.

Let us try to explore some of the properties of HCl+CH3COONa reaction, like its Buffer, enthalpy, exothermic process, and intermolecular forces.

What is the product of HCl and CH3COONa?

When HCl reacts with sodium acetate, it forms acetic acid and common salt sodium chloride.

HCl(aq) + CH3COONa(aq) = CH3COOH (aq) + NaCl(aq)

What type of reaction is HCl + CH3COONa

The reaction of HCl + CH3COONa comes under the category of acid + base reaction. Here sodium acetate is one of the salt of acetic acid ;which is considered as a weak acid(acetic acid).

How to balance HCl + CH3COONa

Step 1:

In order to balance HCl+CH3COONa we count the type of atoms on both sides.

HCl+ CH3COONa= CH3COOH + NaCl

Step 2:

Then we have to add several atoms of the compound infront of it until the reaction is balanced. Here equimolar amount of hydrochloric acid and sodium acetate reacted with each other to form acetic acid and sodium chloride. So the balanced equation for the reaction of hydrochloric acid with sodium acetate is given by;

HCl+ CH3COONa= CH3COOH + NaCl

HCl + CH3COONa titration

Apparatus

 Burette, pipette, burette stand, measuring jar, conical flask.

Indicator

 Phenolphthalein indicator is used in the acid-base titration.

Procedure

In a conical flask, HCl solution is taken and titrated it against sodium acetate, which is taken in the burette. Phenolphthalein indicator is added. We get the equivalent point when color disappears. The found literature acid dissociation constant (pKa) value for acetic acid is  4.75 at 25C.

HCl + CH3COONa net ionic equation

We have to follow the below steps in order to get the net ionic equation:

Step 1:

To get the net ionic equation, we need to check whether the reaction is balanced.

Step 2:

Reactants and products are split into ions separately and the spectator ions on both sides are eliminated. In this reaction, we cannot split the acetic acid since it is a weak acid; it cannot completely split ions in aqueous media. So the net ionic equation for hydrochloric acid and sodium acetate is given by;

H+ + CH3COO = CH3COOH

image 42
Net ionic equation

HCl + CH3COONa conjugate pairs

  • Conjugate pairs are those acid-base pairs in which acid can donate a proton and base can accept a proton.
  • In this reaction, one conjugate pair is HCl and Cl, and another is CH3COONa and CH3COOH.
image 43
Conjugate pairs

HCl and CH3COONa intermolecular forces

HCl + CH3COONa reaction enthalpy

Enthalpy of HCl+ CH3COONa reaction is 436.46 KJ/mol.

Is HCl + CH3COONa a buffer solution

HCl + CH3COONa can form a buffer solution when one mole of HCl and 2 moles of sodium acetate react, forming sodium acetate and acetic acid. This formed acetic acid and sodium acetate can form an acidic Buffer. This Buffer is very useful in biochemical applications where the reaction has to be likely acidic.

image 44
Buffer solution

Is HCl + CH3COONa a complete reaction

HCl+ CH3COONa is not a complete reaction since sodium acetate is the salt of a weak acid, so it is partially dissociated into the aqueous media. Hence its solubility product quotient is below the solubility product constant.

Is HCl + CH3COONa an exothermic or endothermic reaction

HCl + CH3COONa is an exothermic reaction because the complete dissociation of the strong acid HCl lowers the extra energy needed to break the bond.

Is HCl + CH3COONa a redox reaction

HCl+CH3COONa is not a redox reaction because the reactants or product oxidation do not change during the reaction. Here only proton has been transferred from acid to base.

Is HCl + CH3COONa a precipitation reaction

HCl+CH3COONa is not a precipitation reaction because, during the reaction of HCl+CH3COONa, the formed sodium chloride is not a residue.

Is HCl + CH3COONa reversible or irreversible reaction

HCl+CH3COONa may be reversible, depending on the amount of acid we add. An equimolar amount of hydrochloric acid sodium acetate gives a reversible reaction.

HCl+ CH3COONa= CH3COOH +NaCl

Is HCl + CH3COONa displacement reaction

HCl+CH3COONa is a double displacement reaction since the hydrogen ion gets replaced by a sodium ion, and an acetate ion replaces the chloride ion.

image 45
Double displacement reaction

Conclusion

The formed products acetic acid and sodium chloride have vast applications in chemistry. NaCl can produce sodium carbonate and sodium hydrogen carbonate, especially for making glass.