15 Facts on HCl + CH3COONa: What, How to Balance & FAQs

Sodium acetate being a weak base it is likely react with strong acids like hydrochloric acid. Let us go over the different properties of this reaction.

This reaction is between the strong acid HCl and weak base sodium acetate. Here sodium acetate is hygroscopic and very likely to be soluble in water.

Let us try to explore some of the properties of HCl+CH₃COONa reaction, like its Buffer, enthalpy, exothermic process, and intermolecular forces.

What is the product of HCl and CH₃COONa?

When HCl reacts with sodium acetate, it forms acetic acid and common salt sodium chloride.

HCl_(aq) + CH₃COONa_(aq) = CH₃COOH _(aq) + NaCl_(aq)

What type of reaction is HCl + CH₃COONa

The reaction of HCl + CH₃COONa comes under the category of acid + base reaction. Here sodium acetate is one of the salt of acetic acid ;which is considered as a weak acid(acetic acid).

How to balance HCl + CH₃COONa

Step 1:

In order to balance HCl+CH₃COONa we count the type of atoms on both sides.

HCl+ CH₃COONa= CH₃COOH + NaCl

Step 2:

Then we have to add several atoms of the compound infront of it until the reaction is balanced. Here equimolar amount of hydrochloric acid and sodium acetate reacted with each other to form acetic acid and sodium chloride. So the balanced equation for the reaction of hydrochloric acid with sodium acetate is given by;

HCl+ CH₃COONa= CH₃COOH + NaCl

HCl + CH₃COONa titration

Apparatus

 Burette, pipette, burette stand, measuring jar, conical flask.

Indicator

 Phenolphthalein indicator is used in the acid-base titration.

Procedure

In a conical flask, HCl solution is taken and titrated it against sodium acetate, which is taken in the burette. Phenolphthalein indicator is added. We get the equivalent point when color disappears. The found literature acid dissociation constant (pK_a) value for acetic acid is  4.75 at 25^∘C.

HCl + CH₃COONa net ionic equation

We have to follow the below steps in order to get the net ionic equation:

Step 1:

To get the net ionic equation, we need to check whether the reaction is balanced.

Step 2:

Reactants and products are split into ions separately and the spectator ions on both sides are eliminated. In this reaction, we cannot split the acetic acid since it is a weak acid; it cannot completely split ions in aqueous media. So the net ionic equation for hydrochloric acid and sodium acetate is given by;

H⁺ + CH₃COO^– = CH₃COOH

HCl + CH₃COONa conjugate pairs

• Conjugate pairs are those acid-base pairs in which acid can donate a proton and base can accept a proton.
• In this reaction, one conjugate pair is HCl and Cl^–, and another is CH₃COONa and CH₃COOH.

HCl and CH₃COONa intermolecular forces

• HCl has both dipole-dipole interactions and London dispersion forces.But dipole-dipole interactions are the strongest forces.

• In CH3COONa, ion-ion interactions are present between acetate ions and sodium ions.

HCl + CH₃COONa reaction enthalpy

Enthalpy of HCl+ CH₃COONa reaction is 436.46 KJ/mol.

Is HCl + CH₃COONa a buffer solution

HCl + CH₃COONa can form a buffer solution when one mole of HCl and 2 moles of sodium acetate react, forming sodium acetate and acetic acid. This formed acetic acid and sodium acetate can form an acidic Buffer. This Buffer is very useful in biochemical applications where the reaction has to be likely acidic.

Is HCl + CH₃COONa a complete reaction

HCl+ CH₃COONa is not a complete reaction since sodium acetate is the salt of a weak acid, so it is partially dissociated into the aqueous media. Hence its solubility product quotient is below the solubility product constant.

Is HCl + CH₃COONa an exothermic or endothermic reaction

HCl + CH₃COONa is an exothermic reaction because the complete dissociation of the strong acid HCl lowers the extra energy needed to break the bond.

Is HCl + CH₃COONa a redox reaction

HCl+CH₃COONa is not a redox reaction because the reactants or product oxidation do not change during the reaction. Here only proton has been transferred from acid to base.

Is HCl + CH₃COONa a precipitation reaction

HCl+CH₃COONa is not a precipitation reaction because, during the reaction of HCl+CH₃COONa, the formed sodium chloride is not a residue.

Is HCl + CH₃COONa reversible or irreversible reaction

HCl+CH₃COONa may be reversible, depending on the amount of acid we add. An equimolar amount of hydrochloric acid sodium acetate gives a reversible reaction.

HCl+ CH₃COONa= CH₃COOH +NaCl

Is HCl + CH₃COONa displacement reaction

HCl+CH₃COONa is a double displacement reaction since the hydrogen ion gets replaced by a sodium ion, and an acetate ion replaces the chloride ion.

Conclusion

The formed products acetic acid and sodium chloride have vast applications in chemistry. NaCl can produce sodium carbonate and sodium hydrogen carbonate, especially for making glass.

Surya Satya

Hi…I am Surya Satya Eluri. I have done my M.Sc in Organic Chemistry. I am very enthusiastic about the high-energy chemistry field. I love to write complicated chemistry concepts in understandable and simple words.
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