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Question
State whether an aqueous solution of washing soda is acidic or alkaline? Give reason for your answer.
Solution
An aqueous solution of washing soda is alkaline, because sodium carbonate is a salt prepared from the reaction between a weak acid, carbonic acid (H2CO3), and a strong base, sodium hydroxide (NaOH). When sodium carbonate is dissolved in water, it gets hydrolysed to some extent and forms sodium hydroxide and carbonic acid
Na2CO3(s) + 2H2O(l) → 2NaOH(aq) + H2CO3(aq)
Sodium hydroxide, being a strong base, is fully ionised to give a large amount of hydroxide ions (OH-), and carbonic acid, being a weak acid, is slightly ionised to form a small amount of hydrogen (H+) ions. Therefore, an aqueous solution contains more hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions, which makes the solution basic.
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