Question

How do you experimentally distinguish between sodium carbonate and sodium hydrogen carbonate ?​

Answer 1

Answer:

Sodium carbonate: Na2CO3

Sodium bicarbonate: NaHCO3

Answer 2

Sodium carbonate and sodium hydrogen carbonate can be distinguished by the use of Magnesium Sulphate.

- On reaction with magnesium sulphate solution,  sodium carbonate gives a white precipitate of magnesium carbonate :

Na2CO3 (aq) + MgSO4 (aq) ---> MgCO3 (s) + Na2SO4 (aq)

- A soluble precipitate of Magnesium bicarbonate is formed when  sodium bicarbonate reacts with MgSO4 solution as magnesium bicarbonate exist only in aqueous solution.

2NaHCO3 (aq) + MgSO4 (aq) ---> Mg(HCO3)2 (aq) + Na2SO4 (aq)

- The above test is also known as magnesium sulphate test.