Calcium Carbonate and Hydrochloric Acid Reaction | CaCO₃ + HCl

Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) is a metal carbonate compound and reacts with hydrochloric acid (HCl) to produce carbon dioxide (CO₂), calcium chloride (CaCl₂) and water. You can see, carbon dioxide gas is released through the solution.

CaCO₃ + HCl → CaCl₂ + CO₂ + H₂O

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Carbon dioxide gas is released when a dilute acid is added to a metal carbonate compound.

Metal carbonate compounds react with dilute acids and emit carbon dioxide gas.

Balanced chemical equation of CaCO₃ and HCl reaction with physical states

CaCO_3(s) + 2HCl_(aq) → CaCl_2(aq) + CO_2(g) + H₂O_(l)

Calcium carbonate is not soluble in water and exists as white precipitate in the water. When aqueous hydrochloric acid is added, calcium chloride, carbon dioxide and water are formed.

• Calcium chloride (CaCl₂) is soluble in water and colorless. So, it exists as an aqueous solution. Therefore, you can see, white precipitate is dissolved and colorless solution is formed with time.
• Also, due to formation of carbon dioxide gas, gas bubbles are rising to the top of the solution.

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This reaction is used to calculate purity of CaCO₃ samples when they are mixed with impurities.

If impurity material does not react with dilute hydrochloric acid, You can conduct this experiment. Released carbon dioxide volume is measured and then calculate the released amount (mol) of carbon dioxide gas. Then, you can calculate the reacted calcium carbonate amount and mass.

Reaction properties

• When calcium carbonate precipitate exist in water, that solution become weak basic due to presence of carbonate ion. When aqueous HCl is added, carbonate is converted to carbon dioxide and alkalinity of the solution decreases.

Calcium carbonate and hydrochloric acid reaction is an exothermic reaction.

When calcium carbonate reacts with hydrochloric acid, heat is released to the environment.

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Questions asked by students

Ask your question and find the answer free.

When HCl reacts with calcium carbonate why heat is released?

If heat is released from a reaction, it means products of the reactions are more stable than reactants. When something is stable, it should have less energy. When HCl reacts with calcium carbonate, calcium chloride and carbon dioxide gas are given.

calcium carbonate and hydrochloric acid balanced equation

When you are said to write balanced equation, remember that to write physical properties of compounds.

CaCO_3(s) + 2HCl_(aq) → CaCl_2(aq) + CO_2(g) + H₂O_(l)

What happens when CaCO₃ reacts with dilute HCl acid?

Calcium carbonate reacts with dilute acids to produce a calcium salt, water and carbon dioxide gas: calcium carbonate + hydrochloric acid → calcium chloride + water + carbon dioxide.

What does HCl and CaCO₃ produce?

Calcium chloride, carbon dioxide and water are given as products.

Can I identify calcium carbonate from zinc carbonate from this reaction?

Both carbonates are not insoluble in water and form white precipitates. Calcium carbonate and zinc carbonate reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid and emit carbon dioxide gas form colorless solutions. (CaCl₂ and ZnCl₂ are colorless solutions).

But, treating hydrogen sulfide gas to calcium chloride and zinc chloride can be used to identify solutions. Calcium sulfide is soluble in water. But, ZnS is not a soluble sulfide in water and form a white precipitate.

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