13 Facts on H2SO4 + NaCl: What, How To Balance & FAQs

Chemical reactions are thermodynamically favored interactions between the reactants species to form stable products. Let us discuss the chemical reactivity of H2SO4 and NaCl.

Concentrated H2SO4 is a strong dehydrating agent which works as to remove water molecules dehydrating the overall reaction. Sodium chloride is an ionic compound working as common salt. When H2SO4 reacts with NaCl hygroscopic nature of sulphuric acid causes oxidation of a species.

The reactivity of H2SO4 and NaCl is investigated to evaluate their plausible potential in industrial manufacturing. Moreover, the species can be further explored for other chemical reactivities as given below.

What is the product of H2SO4 and NaCl?

Sodium sulphate and hydrogen chloride gas are formed in the reaction of H2SO4 + NaCl.

H2SO4 + 2NaCl = Na2SO4 + 2HCl

What type of reaction is H2SO4 + NaCl?

H2SO4 + NaCl is a substitution reaction where new compounds are formed by substituting their position in the respective reactant.

How to balance H2SO4 + NaCl?

The reaction is balanced using the following steps

H2SO4 + 2NaCl = Na2SO4 + 2HCl

  • Each reactant and product in the equation is labeled with a variable (A, B, C, and D) to represent unknown coefficients.
  • A H2SO4 + B NaCl = C Na2SO4 + D HCl
  • Now, the equation is solved by an appropriate number, considered to be the coefficient of reactants and products.
  • Na = A = 2C, Cl = A = D, H = 2B = D, S = B = C, O = 4B = 4C
  • All the variables and coefficients are calculated by the Gauss elimination method, and lastly, we get
  • A = 2, B = 1, C = 1, and D = 2
  • So, the overall balanced equation is,
  • H2SO4 + 2NaCl = Na2SO4 + 2HCl

H2SO4 + NaCl titration

Titration is not possible in case of H2SO4 + NaCl because there is salt (NaCl) involved which can not be titrated.

H2SO4 + NaCl net ionic equation

The net ionic equation of H2SO4 + NaCl is

NaCl (s) + H2SO4 (l) = NaHSO4 (s) + HCl (l)

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

  • Firstly, write the balanced chemical equation and represent the physical states of reactants and products
  • H2SO4 (aq) + 2NaCl (aq) = Na2SO4 (aq) + 2HCl (aq)
  • Now, strong acids, bases and salts dissociate into ions whereas pure solid substances and molecules do not dissociate
  • Thus the net ionic equation is
  • NaCl (s) + H2SO4 (l) = NaHSO4 (s) + HCl (l)

H2SO4 + NaCl conjugate pairs

  • Conjugate base of H2SO4 exist as HSO4
  • NaCl do not form conjugate pair because it is a salt.

H2SO4 and NaCl intermolecular forces

  • Strong hydrogen bonding, van der Waals dispersion forces, and dipole-dipole interactions are present between H2SO4 molecules.
  • Ion-ion intermolecular forces exist between NaCl molecules.

Is H2SO4 + NaCl a buffer solution?

H2SO4 + NaCl do not form a buffer solution as strong acids i.e., H2SO4 do not form a buffer.

Is H2SO4 + NaCl a complete reaction?

H2SO4 + NaCl is a complete reaction as products formed NaHSO4 and HCl are stable.

Is H2SO4 + NaCl an exothermic or endothermic reaction?

H2SO4 + NaCl is considered to be an exothermic reaction because the addition of sulphuric acid leads to the liberation of heat.

Is H2SO4 + NaCl a redox reaction?

H2SO4 + NaCl is not a redox reaction because only oxidation of NaCl takes place in this reaction.

Is H2SO4 + NaCl a precipitation reaction?

H2SO4 + NaCl is not a precipitation reaction, as no precipitates are observed at the end of the reactions.

Is H2SO4 + NaCl reversible or irreversible reaction?

H2SO4 + NaCl is irreversible reaction because the formed products cannot convert back into the original reactants.

Is H2SO4 + NaCl displacement reaction?

H2SO4 + NaCl is a double displacement reaction as a double displacement of molecules from the reactants is observed.

Conclusions

The reaction of sulphuric acid with sodium chloride is important in various industrial applications. The reactions, in particular, are a source of major sodium and chlorine-related compounds and further syntheses. Both reactant species play significant roles in industries related to dyes, leather, rubber, or cosmetics.