NaOH+HCl <----->NaCl+H2O.?

Question

consider the reaction NaOH+HCl----->NaCl+H2O,
.since all reactions are reversible, will i find salt water turning into an acid & a base.?if so,how?.also , can i carry on such reactions in the lab?

Answer 1

It depends on the activation energy and the relative energy states of the products.

In the gas phase, the sodium chloride and water formed are at such a more stable configuration (as evidenced by the fact that this reaction is highly exothermic), that it is effectively irreversible.

In solution, however, you will find sodium ions, chloride ions, and -- due to the natural behavior of water -- a small amount of hydronium ions and hydroxide ions.

So, in solution, the reaction becomes a tiny bit more reversible, but not nearly enough to regenerate significant amounts of your starting products. The equilibrium is heavily weighted towards the products (sodium ions, chloride ions, and water) because of the energetics of the reaction.

Answer 2

Not all reactions are reversible. Some reaction go to 100% completion, that is, all reactants react to form a product. While others react to form an equilibrium, that is a backwards and a forward reaction akes place.

An example of a complete reaction is:

NaOH + HCl --> NaCl + H2O (your own example)

(The backward reaction cannot occur, probably due to energy. Going back from NaCl and water to NaOH and HCl would require a lot of energy (such as heat), but if you heat, water would evaporate and the reaction can't occur).

An example of an equilibrium reaction is the reaction of an alcohol with carboxylic acids (organic acids) [H+ as a catalyst]:

CH3COOH + CH3OH <---> CH3COOCH3 + H20.

Chemistry books would give a much more detailed explanation

Answer 3

All reactions are reversible. This is a fundamental property of chemistry, its called the principle of microscopic reversibility. The reverse reaction will always occur but in a very limited way. This is because the activation energy is too high. However, thermally this reaction can occur and it has a statistical probability associated with it, but it is just highly unlikely.
In the situation shown above the reaction is considered irreversible because the energy difference between reactants and products is too large for there to be any meaningful back reaction. There are other situations (buffers are the best example) where the energy difference between reactants and products are similar and the reverse reaction occurs readily. But don't think that there isn't a grey area between the buffer situation and the strong acid and base situation given above....the statistical reversal of a reaction is universal even for practically irreversible reactions.

If you want to do something neat in the lab, throw sulfuric acid on sodium chloride and you will generate very pure HCl gas...this is because sulfuric acid is a much stronger acid than HCl and can push the reverse reaction.

Answer 4

Not all reactions are reversible only certain reactions are reversible.

Answer 5

u cant make them reverse genius.