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Sodium carbonate and bicarbonate production
Chemistry

Sodium carbonate and bicarbonate production

To produce sodium carbonate and sodium hydrogencarbonate (bicarbonate).

Preparing and testing gases
sodium carbonate; bicarbonate; industrial chemistry

What students learn

The science behind this experiment

Sodium carbonate and sodium hydrogencarbonate, or bicarbonate, are important compounds which were among the first to be produced industrially. Sodium bicarbonate can be used to neutralise acid solutions, in cooking, or as an antacid medicine.

Sodium bicarbonate can be conveniently produced by reacting sodium hydroxide and carbon dioxide: NaOH + CO2 → NaHCO3.

Sodium bicarbonate decomposes by heat into sodium carbonate, water and carbon dioxide: 2NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2.

Equipment used

  • Iron stand — 5404.52
  • Universal clamp — 5416.20
  • Right angle clamp — 5401.16
  • Conical flask 150 ml — 1322.10
  • Rubber stopper, 2 holes — 5450.80
  • Dropping funnel — 1359.00
  • Right angle bent glass delivery tube — 1468.07
  • Connection for glass delivery tubes — 5449.43
  • Glass delivery tube — 1468.02
  • Beaker 100 ml — 1118.20
  • Beaker 250 ml — 1118.35
  • Spatula — 5460.34
  • Spirit burner — 5415.10
  • Test tubes — 1473.60
  • Test tube holder — 5423.30
  • Parafilm — 1646.00

Chemicals and reagents

  • Calcium carbonate
  • Hydrochloric acid — R:34-37 S:26-45
  • Sodium hydroxide — R:35 S:26-37/39-45
  • Distilled water

Safety notes

  • Take care when using the burner and hot glassware.

Questions for students

  • What does the precipitate consist of?
  • Are the two deposits different?

What to expect

<p>The solid left in the beaker after the liquid evaporated is still sodium hydrogencarbonate (bicarbonate). The residue in the heated tube is sodium carbonate, formed according to the second reaction above.</p>

Disposal

Dispose of the liquid into the acids and bases waste container. Dispose of the salts into the solid waste container.

Run this experiment in your classroom

This experiment is part of the ATP Mobile Lab — a self-contained laboratory that turns an ordinary classroom into a working science lab, with over 200 experiments in physics, chemistry, biology, robotics and engineering. Gali, the AI tutor built into ATP Connect, guides students through each step and answers their questions at the bench.

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