[21901201]

Na2CO3 + H2SO4 --> ¨

How do I solve this one?

[Albert]

 

A base and an acid...no need to balance anything...what do you think?

[Alberto_Kravina]

But a reaction happens, by the way...

[21901201]

I was thinking something like this:

2 Na(+) + CO3(2--) + 2 H30(+) + SO4(2--) --> H2O + H2 + Na2SO4 (aq) + CO3(2--)


That can't be right, oi?

[Alberto_Kravina]

I was thinking something like this:
2 Na(+) + CO3(2--) + 2 H30(+) + SO4(2--) --> H2O + H2 + Na2SO4 (aq) + CO3(2--)

Too complicated (and not correct)! What could happen with the carbonate anion if you protonate it?

[21901201]

I thought so.

Something like this?
2 H+ + CO3--  -->  H2CO3

But that's an acid too, right?

[Alberto_Kravina]

Correct, but H₂CO₃ is instable...

[Captain Proton]

Wouldn't the H₂SO₃ decompose into CO₂ and H₂O?

Na₂CO₃ + H₂SO₄  --->  H₂CO₃ + Na₂SO₃  --->  H₂O + CO₂ + Na₂SO₃

[Alberto_Kravina]

Wouldn't the H₂SO₃ decompose into CO₂ and H₂O?

H₂CO₃ decomposes in water and carbon dioxide, not H₂SO₃

Na2CO3 + H2SO4  --->  H2CO3 + Na2SO3  --->  H2O + CO2 + Na2SO3

No! Sulfate is not reduced to sulfite! As you can see the oxygen atoms are not balanced....

[Bel-p]

Na2CO3 + H2SO4 --> ¨

How do I solve this one?

Is is too simple to suggest the following?
Na2CO3 + H2SO4 --> Na2SO4 + CO2 +H2O
a carbonate + an acid makes a salt + CO2 and water

[xiankai]

that would be ok, but we dont know what the author of this thread is trying to find: an ionic equation, a general equation or all the reactions that occur step-by-step