When carbon dioxide (CO2) is reacted with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), a reaction called neutralization occurs. The balanced chemical equation for this reaction is:
CO2 + 2NaOH -> Na2CO3 + H2O
In this reaction, one molecule of carbon dioxide reacts with two molecules of sodium hydroxide to form one molecule of sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and water (H2O).
The reaction can be explained as follows:
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) combines with water (H2O) in the presence of sodium hydroxide (NaOH).
- The carbon dioxide molecule loses its two oxygen atoms and combines with two sodium (Na) atoms from the sodium hydroxide, forming sodium carbonate (Na2CO3).
- The hydrogen atoms from the water combine with the remaining hydroxide ion (OH-) from the sodium hydroxide to form water (H2O).
Overall, the reaction between carbon dioxide and sodium hydroxide produces sodium carbonate and water.
