- Write the equation for the reaction of 1 mol of sulfurous acid (H2SO3) with 1 mol of beryllium hydroxide.
- Write the equation for the reaction of 1 mol of phosphoric acid with 1 mol of gallium hydroxide
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
1. Reaction of sulfurous acid (H₂SO₃) with beryllium hydroxide (Be(OH)₂):
The reaction between sulfurous acid (H₂SO₃) and beryllium hydroxide (Be(OH)₂) is an acid-base reaction where the acid reacts with the base to form water and a salt. The equation is:
[
H_2SO_3 + Be(OH)_2 \rightarrow BeSO_3 + 2H_2O
]
In this reaction:
- Sulfurous acid (H₂SO₃) is a weak acid that reacts with beryllium hydroxide (Be(OH)₂), a base.
- The product is beryllium sulfite (BeSO₃), a salt, and water (H₂O).
2. Reaction of phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) with gallium hydroxide (Ga(OH)₃):
Phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) reacts with gallium hydroxide (Ga(OH)₃) in an acid-base reaction, producing water and a salt. The balanced equation for this reaction is:
[
H_3PO_4 + Ga(OH)_3 \rightarrow GaPO_4 + 3H_2O
]
In this reaction:
- Phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄), a triprotic acid, donates three protons (H⁺ ions) in the reaction.
- Gallium hydroxide (Ga(OH)₃), a base, reacts with the three protons to form gallium phosphate (GaPO₄), a salt, and water (H₂O).
Explanation:
Both of these reactions are acid-base neutralization reactions, where the acid (H₂SO₃ or H₃PO₄) donates protons (H⁺) to the base (Be(OH)₂ or Ga(OH)₃), forming a salt and water. The salts formed, beryllium sulfite (BeSO₃) and gallium phosphate (GaPO₄), are typically insoluble in water, which is why they precipitate out in the reaction.
- In the H₂SO₃ and Be(OH)₂ reaction, the acid donates two protons (since H₂SO₃ has two replaceable hydrogen atoms), and the base provides two hydroxide ions.
- In the H₃PO₄ and Ga(OH)₃ reaction, phosphoric acid donates three protons (since H₃PO₄ has three replaceable hydrogen atoms), and gallium hydroxide provides three hydroxide ions.
The resulting salts are formed through the ionic bonding between the cations (Be²⁺ or Ga³⁺) and the anions (SO₃²⁻ or PO₄³⁻), and water is a byproduct due to the neutralization of the H⁺ and OH⁻ ions.
I will now generate an image showing both reactions.
Here is the image showing both reactions: sulfurous acid with beryllium hydroxide and phosphoric acid with gallium hydroxide. You can see the molecular structures and arrows indicating the direction of the reactions. Let me know if you’d like any further clarification!
