This is an acid-base reaction (neutralization): NaOH is a base, H2SO4 is an acid.
Word equation
sodium hydroxide + sulfuric acid → water + sodium sulfate
Input interpretation
NaOH + H2SO4 → H2O + Na2SO4
Sodium hydroxide sulfuric acid water sodium sulfate
Balanced equation
Balance the chemical equation algebraically:
NaOH + H2SO4 → H2O + Na2SO4
Add stoichiometric coefficients, c, to the reactants and products:
c1NaOH + c2 H2SO4 → c3H2O + c4Na2SO4
Set the number of atoms in the reactants equal to the number of atoms in the products for H, Na, O and S:
H: c1 + 2c2 = 2c3
Na: c1 = 2c4
O: c1 + 4c2 = c3 + 4c4
S: c2=c4
Since the coefficients are relative quantities and underdetermined, choose a coefficient to set arbitrarily. To keep the coefficients small, the arbitrary value is ordinarily one. For instance, set c2 = 1 and solve the system of equations for the remaining coefficients:
C1 = 2 C2=1
C3=2 C4=1
Substitute the coefficients into the chemical reaction to obtain the balanced equation:
Answer:
NaOH + H2SO4 → H2O + Na2SO4
