bicarb of soda and carbonic acid

Adding a very small amount of baking soda to carbonic acid is very
interesting to analyze.

NaHCO3 + H2CO3 -> NaOH + 2CO2 + H2O

If you don't add enough bicarb to neutralize all the carbonic acid (or
if you add sodium hydroxide instead of bicarb of soda), then you should
get this reaction as well:

2NaOH + H2CO3 = Na2CO3 + 2H2O

but then basic sodium carbonate should react with carbonic acid as well
producing:

Na2CO3 + H2CO3 -> 2NaOH + 2CO2

Which puts us right back to the Sodium Hydroxide again with the release
of CO2.

Am I doing something wrong, or will a miniscule amount of sodium
bicarbonate end up making a small amount of sodium hydroxide and cause
all the CO2 to be released from any amount of carbonic acid? Would the
sodium hydroxide be considered a catalyst if this is correct?

Marshall

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: bicarb of soda and carbonic acid
    ... > Adding a very small amount of baking soda to carbonic acid is very ... This implies no *net* reaction. ... > If you don't add enough bicarb to neutralize all the carbonic acid (or ... > if you add sodium hydroxide instead of bicarb of soda), ...
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  • Re: bicarb of soda and carbonic acid
    ... > Adding a very small amount of baking soda to carbonic acid is very ... > If you don't add enough bicarb to neutralize all the carbonic acid (or ... > if you add sodium hydroxide instead of bicarb of soda), ...
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  • Re: bicarb of soda and carbonic acid
    ... >> Adding a very small amount of baking soda to carbonic acid is very ... >> If you don't add enough bicarb to neutralize all the carbonic acid (or ... >> if you add sodium hydroxide instead of bicarb of soda), ... >> but then basic sodium carbonate should react with carbonic acid as well ...
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