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Homework Statement
Im supposed to predict what will happen if I add Na2C2O4 to hard water, soft water, or distilled water. Hard water has Mg2+ and Ca2+ ions dissolved in it from calcium bicarbonate/carbonate and magnesium bicarbonate/carbonate.
It's a theoretical lab where we predict what would happen if we did the lab.
A student added 1 mL of hard water to one test tube, 1mL of soft water to another, and 1 mL of distilled water to a third. The hard water sample contained Ca2+ and Mg2+. The soft water contained lower concentrations of these ions.
Into each test tube, the student put two drops of 0.1 mol/L sodium oxalate solution. Then the student mixed the contents.
We didn't learn about measurements in class yet, I don't know what 0.1 mol/L means, so I'm assuming the volumes are irrelevant?
The Attempt at a Solution
Hard water:
MgCO3 (aq) + Na2C2O4 (aq) + H2O(l) -> MgC2O4 (s) + Na2CO3 (aq) + H2O(l)
(am I supposed to write H2O in the chemical equation?)
A double displacement reaction would occur because MgC2O4 is a solid so a precipitate would be formed.
Soft water:
I'm not sure what to do here.
Distilled water:
Na2C2O4 (aq) + H2O (l) -> 2NaOH (aq) + H2C2O4 (aq)
Does a reaction occur here? How do I know when an acid can decompose? It seems like it could turn in to
Na2C2O4 (aq) + H2O-> 2NaOH + H2O (l) + CO2 (g) + CO (g)
I don't completely understand how to know if a reaction occurs in a double displacement reaction with aq elements as products that are bases/acids