15 Facts on H2SO4 + HCOONa: What, How To Balance & FAQs

HCOONa is commonly a sodium salt of formic acid and has the potential to react with strong acids. Let us see the mechanism of its reaction with H₂SO₄.

Sodium formate, also known as sodium methanoate, combines with sulfuric acid to synthesize formic acid. HCOONa is formed by absorbing carbon monoxide in solid sodium hydroxide. It appears as white deliquescent granules that, when exposed to moisture, transform into liquid. H₂SO₄ is a colorless, strong oxidizing agent.

The following sections of the article shall discuss in detail the reaction between HCOONa and H₂SO₄, the products formed, enthalpy of the reaction, the reaction type, etc.

What is the product of H₂SO₄ and HCOONa?

Formic acid and Sodium sulfate are formed as major products when HCOONa is reacted with H₂SO₄.

2HCOONa + H₂SO₄ —> 2HCOOH + Na₂SO₄

What type of reaction is H₂SO₄ + HCOONa?

H₂SO₄ + HCOONa is an example of double displacement reaction, also referred to as a salt metathesis reaction.

How to balance H₂SO₄ + HCOONa

The balanced chemical equation for H₂SO₄ + HCOONa reaction is:

2HCOONa + H₂SO₄ = 2HCOOH + Na₂SO₄

Following are the steps to equate the reaction mentioned above:

• The unbalanced equation is first written down, i.e.: HCOONa + H₂SO₄ = HCOOH + Na₂SO₄
• The number of atoms or elements present on both reactant and product sides are counted and tabulated.

• Necessary coefficients are then added to the unbalanced atoms to establish the balanced reaction.
• To balance sodium atoms, HCOONa molecule was multiplied by coefficient 2.
• Secondly, hydrogen was equated on both sides by multiplying HCOOH by coefficient 2.
• Thus, the balanced chemical equation for the given reaction is as follows:
• 2HCOONa + H₂SO₄ —> 2HCOOH + Na₂SO₄

H₂SO₄ + HCOONa Titration

HCOONa cannot be titrated against H₂SO₄ as HCOONa is a monosodium salt of a weak acid. Thus, without a base, H₂SO₄ and HCOONa titration would yield no significant results.

H₂SO₄ + HCOONa Net Ionic Equation

The net ionic equation between H₂SO₄ and HCOONa is: HCOO^– + Na⁺ + 2H⁺ + SO₄^2- = HCOO^– + H⁺ + 2Na⁺ + SO₄^2-

The following are the steps to derive the net ionic equation:

• Firstly, the complete balanced equation is noted.
• 2HCOONa + H₂SO₄ = 2HCOOH + Na₂SO₄
• The reacting atoms are then dissociated into their respective ions to give the net ionic equation; for example, HCOONa splits in an aqueous solution to give HCOO^– and Na⁺ ions.
• In the next step, spectator ions, if any, are eliminated from both sides of the reaction.
• The final net ionic equation for H₂SO₄ + HCOONa reaction is mentioned in the next step.
• HCOO^– + Na⁺ + 2H⁺ + SO₄^2- = HCOO^– + H⁺ + 2Na⁺ + SO₄^2-

H₂SO₄ + HCOONa Conjugate Pairs

The conjugate pairs formed between reaction H₂SO₄ + HCOONa are mentioned below:

• Conjugate base of H₂SO₄ (after donating a proton) = HSO₄^–
• Conjugate base of HCOOH = HCOO^–

H₂SO₄ and HCOONa Intermolecular Forces

• For H₂SO₄, Van der waals dispersion forces, dipole-dipole interactions, and strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding forces are present as intermolecular forces.
• HCOONa exhibit electrostatic attraction, implying that Ionic intermolecular forces exist due to the presence of two ionic species, Na⁺ and HCOO^–.

H₂SO₄ + HCOONa Reaction Enthalpy

The reaction enthalpy of H₂SO₄ + HCOONa is 5.73 kJ/mol (approximately).

• The standard enthalpy of a reaction is calculated using the formula: ΔH⁰_{f (reaction)} = ΣΔH⁰_{f (products)} – ΣΔH⁰_{f (reactants)}
• Enthalpy of reaction  = [2×(-424.72) + 1× (-1387.1)] – [2×(-666.5) + 1×(-909.27)] = 5.73 kJ/mol

Is H₂SO₄ + HCOONa a Buffer Solution?

• H₂SO₄ + HCOONa is not a buffer solution because H₂SO₄ is a strong acid, and no conjugate acid or base is present to resist the pH change.
• However, HCOOH produced in this reaction may combine with HCOONa to give an acidic buffer.

Is H₂SO₄ + HCOONa a Complete Reaction?

• H₂SO₄ + HCOONa is a complete reaction as it forms two complete products, HCOOH and Na₂SO₄.
• However, at temperatures ranging from 25 to 170⁰C, HCOOH may further decompose to produce carbon monoxide gas and water.

Is H₂SO₄ and HCOONa an Exothermic or Endothermic Reaction?

The given reaction is endothermic since the change in enthalpy is positive. As a result, external energy is absorbed by the reaction to reach completion.

Is H₂SO₄ + HCOONa a Redox Reaction?

H₂SO₄ + HCOONa is not a redox reaction since no change in the oxidation states of elements is observed on both sides of the reaction.

Is H₂SO₄ + HCOONa a Precipitation Reaction?

H₂SO₄ + HCOONa is not a precipitation reaction because both the products obtained are highly soluble in water, ruling out the possibility of precipitate formation.

Is H₂SO₄ + HCOOH Reversible or Irreversible Reaction?

H₂SO₄ + HCOONa is irreversible in nature because the products formed can no longer perform reverse reactions to synthesize the reactants under the same reaction conditions.

Is H₂SO₄ + HCOOH Displacement Reaction?

H₂SO₄ + HCOONa is a double displacement reaction because of the cationic and anionic exchange of atoms that occurs during product formation.

Conclusion

H₂SO₄ and HCOONa reaction is one of the ways to synthesize formic acid, an important intermediate, and sodium sulfate, which is employed as an efficient drying agent in organic reactions. Formic acid mainly has varied uses in the field of agriculture as a preservative, in fuel cell, as a pH modifier, and so on.

Read more facts on H2SO4:

Padmakshi Kotoky

Hello, I am Padmakshi Kotoky working as a Subject Matter Expert on this platform. I have completed my post-graduation from the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai. I have always found Chemistry an intriguing subject and enjoy exploring more on it. I would like to utilize this platform to explain the subject in an easy and precise manner making it simpler for the readers to understand the concepts with clarity. I engage myself in Singing, Dancing, and nature photography during my leisure time.
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