3. Sodium hydrogencarbonate decomposes on heating:

2 NaHCO3(s) ® Na2CO3(s) + H2O(g) + CO2(g)

a. If 3.36 g of sodium hydrogencarbonate is heated, calculate:

i. the number of moles of sodium hydrogencarbonate used (1 mark)

ii. the number of moles of sodium carbonate produced (1 mark)

iii. the mass of sodium carbonate produced. (1 mark)

b. If 2.1 kg (2100 g) of sodium hydrogencarbonate is heated, calculate the mass of CO2 produced. (3 marks)

c. Sodium hydrogen carbonate is commonly known as bicarbonate of soda. It is used in cake making to make the batter rise. Explain how it does this. (2 marks)

1 answer

Let's solve the questions step by step:

a. Sodium hydrogencarbonate decomposes on heating.

The balanced equation is: \[ 2 \text{NaHCO}_3(s) \rightarrow \text{Na}_2\text{CO}_3(s) + \text{H}_2\text{O}(g) + \text{CO}_2(g) \]

i. The number of moles of sodium hydrogencarbonate used:

To find the number of moles, you can use the formula: \[ \text{Number of moles} = \frac{\text{mass (g)}}{\text{molar mass (g/mol)}} \]

Molar mass of NaHCO₃:

  • Sodium (Na): 23 g/mol
  • Hydrogen (H): 1 g/mol
  • Carbon (C): 12 g/mol
  • Oxygen (O): 16 g/mol × 3 = 48 g/mol
  • Total: \( 23 + 1 + 12 + 48 = 84 \text{ g/mol} \)

Now, calculate the number of moles of sodium hydrogencarbonate: \[ \text{Number of moles} = \frac{3.36 \text{ g}}{84 \text{ g/mol}} = 0.04 \text{ moles} \]

Answer: 0.04 moles of sodium hydrogencarbonate.

ii. The number of moles of sodium carbonate produced:

According to the balanced equation, 2 moles of NaHCO₃ yield 1 mole of Na₂CO₃. Therefore, the number of moles of Na₂CO₃ produced can be calculated from the moles of NaHCO₃ used: \[ \text{Moles of Na}_2\text{CO}_3 = \frac{0.04 \text{ moles of NaHCO}_3}{2} = 0.02 \text{ moles} \]

Answer: 0.02 moles of sodium carbonate produced.

iii. The mass of sodium carbonate produced:

To find the mass of sodium carbonate, we first need to find its molar mass.

Molar mass of Na₂CO₃:

  • Sodium (Na): 23 g/mol × 2 = 46 g/mol
  • Carbon (C): 12 g/mol
  • Oxygen (O): 16 g/mol × 3 = 48 g/mol
  • Total: \( 46 + 12 + 48 = 106 \text{ g/mol} \)

Now calculate the mass: \[ \text{Mass} = \text{Number of moles} \times \text{Molar mass} \] \[ \text{Mass of Na}_2\text{CO}_3 = 0.02 \text{ moles} \times 106 \text{ g/mol} = 2.12 \text{ g} \]

Answer: 2.12 g of sodium carbonate produced.

b. If 2.1 kg (2100 g) of sodium hydrogencarbonate is heated, calculate the mass of CO₂ produced.

First, calculate the number of moles of NaHCO₃ in 2100 g: \[ \text{Number of moles of NaHCO}_3 = \frac{2100 \text{ g}}{84 \text{ g/mol}} = 25 \text{ moles} \]

From the balanced equation, 2 moles of NaHCO₃ produce 1 mole of CO₂, which means: \[ \text{Moles of CO}_2 = \frac{25 \text{ moles of NaHCO}_3}{2} = 12.5 \text{ moles} \]

Now, calculate the mass of CO₂ produced: Molar mass of CO₂:

  • Carbon (C): 12 g/mol
  • Oxygen (O): 16 g/mol × 2 = 32 g/mol
  • Total: \( 12 + 32 = 44 \text{ g/mol} \)

Now calculate the mass: \[ \text{Mass of CO}_2 = \text{Number of moles} \times \text{Molar mass} = 12.5 \text{ moles} \times 44 \text{ g/mol} = 550 \text{ g} \]

Answer: 550 g of CO₂ produced.

c. Explain how sodium hydrogen carbonate makes the batter rise.

Sodium hydrogen carbonate (bicarbonate of soda) is a chemical leavening agent. When it is mixed with an acid and heated, it decomposes and releases carbon dioxide gas:

  1. The reaction between the bicarbonate and the acid produces CO₂ gas when the batter is heated.
  2. The released CO₂ gas forms bubbles within the batter.
  3. As the batter heats up in the oven, the CO₂ gas expands, causing the batter to rise and resulting in a light and fluffy texture in baked goods.

Answer: Sodium hydrogen carbonate releases carbon dioxide gas when heated or reacts with an acid, forming bubbles in the batter, which makes it rise and become light and fluffy during baking.