What do you observe when you add sodium to acetic acid? How would you identify the gas released in the reaction? Describe briefly.
When we add sodium bicarbonate to acetic acid, this produces sodium acetate, water and carbon dioxide gas is also released during the reaction. The chemical reaction is given as:
NaHCO3 + CH3COOH → CH3COONa + H2O + CO2
The presence of the carbon dioxide can be tested through passing limewater through it. If we pass the carbon dioxide gas through limewater [Ca(OH)2], the whole limewater changes to a milky appearance. The reaction is given as:
Ca(OH)2 + CO2→ CaCO3 + H2O