How do we represent the reaction of hydrochloric acid with stoichiometric calcium carbonate? Do we need to consider oxidation states?

Question

3356 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2017-05-27T14:19:37

This is an acid-base reaction, in which no redox transfer occurs........

We can write out the stoichiometric equation:

#CaCO_3(s) + 2HCl(aq) rarr CaCl_2(aq) + CO_2(g) +H_2O(l)#

And the net ionic equation:

#CO_3^(2-) + 2H_3O^(+) rarr CO_2(g)uarr +3H_2O(l)#

And we can include oxidation numbers on reactants and products:

#stackrel(+IV)CO_3^(2-) + 2H_3O^(+) rarr stackrel(+IV)CO_2(g)uarr +3H_2O(l)#

Are these equations balanced with respect to mass and charge? They need to be if we purport to represent chemical reality!

The oxidation numbers of hydrogen and carbon remain at #stackrel(-II)O# and #stackrel(+I)H# respectively.