[bramgo]

My tutor asked me:
"how does CO₂ react if you send it through an acid medium, a base medium, and how does it react through a neutral medium".

I am not sure how to answer this question. I do not know much about chemistry.

I think in a base medium:
CO₂ will react to CO₃Na or CO₃Ba ... or whatever the base is.
(However while this happens there will be more and more H⁺ in the fluid. So if we continue this it will become an accid medium. The CO₃Na will split up back to HCO₃ and Na²⁺.)

In a neutral medium:
Water is a neutral medium I think(?) So it will react like
CO₂ + H₂O --> H₂CO₃.
But H₂CO₃ only exists in theory. It will split up immediatly in HCO₃^- and H⁺ ions.

In a acid medium:
I have no idea !!!!
Will it form a base?
CO₂ + H+ --> COH + O²⁺ don't think so
CO₂ + 2H+ --> H₂O + C₂ don't think so neither

Can anybody correct me and tell me how it will react in an acid medium?
Thank you in advance.
I have an exam tomorrow about this 

[Dan]

Na²⁺

Whatever you do, don't write that in your exam. Na is in group I, you will never form Na²⁺ under normal conditions.
 
Your basic medium is ok for Barium hydroxide. But using Na²⁺ is wrong.

Your neutral answer is correct. H2CO3 will mostly dissociate in neutral solution, but it can exist under certain conditions....

For acid, don't forget there is water around...

CO₂ + H₃O⁺ --------> ?