Neutralizing acids, what is the result of this?

Question

This is going to sound stupid but I was wondering what this would be...  I was at work and had to clean up a sulfuric acid spill (very small) that is used to lower the pH level of a cooling tower sump water system.  It was contained in a stainless steel pan, and I was told to use powdered soda ash.  As I was adding small amounts at a time, the reaction was very violent and produced large amounts of heat.  As the strength of the liquid was reduced, the amount of liquid in the pan was also getting noticeably smaller.  The color was still clear.  I continued to shake small amounts over the spill until there was no reaction whatsoever, the soda ash just fell to the bottom of the pan.  At this point....what is in the pan?  What is left behind?  I disposed of it in the spill kit provided by an outside vendor, but I was wondering just what I was actually pouring in the drum.  Would you still call it sulfuric acid if it is completely neutralized?  Since the soda ash was just sitting in the bottom of the pan, was this solution now actually considered a base?  If so, what would it be.  Like I said, stupid question...should have paid more attention in Chemistry class.

busterwasmycat · Accepted Answer

you add a base to an acid to neutralize it.  the product is water and a dissolved salt, heat (sometimes a lot) and possibly some gas.

if you had HCl and added NaOH to neutralize it, you would get water and NaCl (the NaCl, table salt, would stay dissolved in the water).

Depending on what you add as a neutralizing agent depends on the salt that will be produced, and the solubility of that salt will determine whether it stays in solution or comes out as a precipitate.

sulfuric acid (H2SO4) with soda ash (Na2CO3, a sodium carbonate) makes sodium sulfate (Na2SO4, which mostly stays in solution as Na+ and SO4(2-)/HSO4-) plus carbonic acid (H2CO3), and this separates into CO2 plus water.  you would likely see a vigorous bubbling going on as the CO2 oversaturated and bubbled out.  some water will evaporate due to the heat as well.

nothing really nasty in any of it.  Sometimes you have to be careful because you can produce hazardous gases, like chlorine gas or hydrogen sulfide, depending on what you add to the acid and what kind of acid it was to begin with. some reactions can be extremely vigorous so caution is always required.  Watch for splattering; protect your eyes.

but mostly, acid+base = water plus dissolved salt, plus a lot of heat.

biire2u · Answer

Buster is right.

Take an acid and mix a base and you have a neutralization reaction resulting in a salt.

The fizz and heat show you the chemical power of the acid is being dispensed as heat.

When there is no more physical activity left, you have neutralized the acid and are just adding extra soda ash. Soda ash is a weak base, so no harm with  using a little to much of that. But once you neutralized the strong acid, any extra soda ash does start turning it to base, but a weak one, It won't dissolve your skin like a strong base such as NaOH would (Drano)

John W · Answer

The acid had to be neutralized .  You could have diluted it a bit a tfirst, so the reaction would not be so violent.  An acid plus a base produces a harmless salt and water, or in case of the soda ash, NaHCO3 powder y uou would also get harmless CO2 gas'  It is never to late learn chemistry!

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Neutralizing acids, what is the result of this?

3 Answers