2 HCOOH + Na₂CO₃ → 2 HCOONa + H₂O + CO₂
Explanation:
* Reactants:
* Methanoic acid (HCOOH): A weak organic acid.
* Sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃): A basic salt.
* Products:
* Sodium formate (HCOONa): A salt formed from the neutralization reaction.
* Water (H₂O): A product of the acid-base reaction.
* Carbon dioxide (CO₂): A gas released during the reaction.
Key Points:
* This reaction is a classic acid-base reaction. The methanoic acid (acid) reacts with sodium carbonate (base) to form a salt (sodium formate) and water.
* The reaction also produces carbon dioxide gas, which is why you would likely observe fizzing if you carried out this reaction.
* The equation is balanced because there are equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides of the equation.
