Tartaric acid, H2C4H4O6, has two acidic hydrogens. The acid is often present in wines, and a salt derived from the acid precipitates from solution as the wine ages. A solution containing an unknown concentration of the acid is titrated with NaOH. It requires 24.65 mL of 0.2500 M NaOH solution to titrate both acidic protons in 50.00 mL of the tartaric acid solution. Write a balanced net ionic equation for the neutralization reaction

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Identify the reactants and products in the neutralization reaction. The reactants are tartaric acid (H2C4H4O6) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and the products are water (H2O) and the sodium salt of tartaric acid (Na2C4H4O6).

Write the molecular equation for the reaction: H2C4H4O6 (aq) + 2 NaOH (aq) -> 2 H2O (l) + Na2C4H4O6 (aq).

Identify the ions present in the solution. Tartaric acid (H2C4H4O6) is a weak acid and does not dissociate completely, while NaOH is a strong base and dissociates completely into Na+ and OH- ions.

Write the complete ionic equation by showing all strong electrolytes as ions: H2C4H4O6 (aq) + 2 Na+ (aq) + 2 OH- (aq) -> 2 H2O (l) + 2 Na+ (aq) + C4H4O6^2- (aq).

Cancel the spectator ions (Na+) from both sides to write the net ionic equation: H2C4H4O6 (aq) + 2 OH- (aq) -> 2 H2O (l) + C4H4O6^2- (aq).

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Acid-Base Neutralization

Acid-base neutralization is a chemical reaction where an acid reacts with a base to produce water and a salt. In this context, tartaric acid (H2C4H4O6) donates protons (H+) to the hydroxide ions (OH-) from sodium hydroxide (NaOH), resulting in the formation of water and a salt. Understanding this process is crucial for writing the balanced net ionic equation.

Net Ionic Equations

A net ionic equation represents the species that actually participate in a chemical reaction, omitting spectator ions that do not change during the reaction. For the titration of tartaric acid with NaOH, the net ionic equation will focus on the hydrogen ions from the acid and the hydroxide ions from the base, leading to the formation of water. This simplification helps clarify the essential components of the reaction.

Stoichiometry in Titration

Stoichiometry involves the calculation of reactants and products in chemical reactions. In this titration scenario, the volume and molarity of NaOH used allow for the determination of the moles of tartaric acid present. This quantitative relationship is vital for understanding the extent of the reaction and for accurately writing the balanced equation.

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Tartaric acid, H2C4H4O6, has two acidic hydrogens. The acid is often present in wines, and a salt derived from the acid precipitates from solution as the wine ages. A solution containing an unknown concentration of the acid is titrated with NaOH. It requires 24.65 mL of 0.2500 M NaOH solution to titrate both acidic protons in 50.00 mL of the tartaric acid solution. Calculate the molarity of the tartaric acid solution.

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