Certainly! When sulfuric acid [tex]\((H_2SO_4)\)[/tex] reacts with dissolved sodium hydroxide [tex]\((NaOH)\)[/tex], the reaction produces sodium sulfate [tex]\((Na_2SO_4)\)[/tex] and water [tex]\((H_2O)\)[/tex].
To find the balanced chemical equation for this reaction, follow these steps:
1. Write down the reactants and the possible products:
[tex]\[ H_2SO_4 (aq) + NaOH (aq) \rightarrow Na_2SO_4 (aq) + H_2O (l) \][/tex]
2. Balance the sodium atoms:
Since there are two sodium atoms in [tex]\(Na_2SO_4\)[/tex], we need two [tex]\(NaOH\)[/tex] molecules.
[tex]\[ H_2SO_4 (aq) + 2 NaOH (aq) \rightarrow Na_2SO_4 (aq) + H_2O (l) \][/tex]
3. Balance the hydrogen atoms:
Each [tex]\(NaOH\)[/tex] provides one hydrogen atom and one hydroxide ion ([tex]\(OH^-\)[/tex]). Two [tex]\(NaOH\)[/tex] molecules will provide two hydrogen atoms in total. Combined with the two hydrogen atoms from [tex]\(H_2SO_4\)[/tex], we have four hydrogen atoms to form two water molecules:
[tex]\[ H_2SO_4 (aq) + 2 NaOH (aq) \rightarrow Na_2SO_4 (aq) + 2 H_2O (l) \][/tex]
4. Balance the oxygen atoms:
Each [tex]\(NaOH\)[/tex] provides one [tex]\(OH^-\)[/tex], leading to two [tex]\(OH^-\)[/tex] ions available to bond with the hydrogen atoms to form water, matching the products' two water molecules contribution.
Thus, the correctly balanced chemical equation for this reaction is:
[tex]\[ H_2SO_4 (aq) + 2 NaOH (aq) \rightarrow Na_2SO_4 (aq) + 2 H_2O (l) \][/tex]
This equation shows that one molecule of sulfuric acid reacts with two molecules of sodium hydroxide to produce one molecule of sodium sulfate and two molecules of water.
