Question

I have completed this lab (Experiment 13 Acid and Base, Part 2) and want feedback on if I doing the equations correctly? I have included my answers in the question. Are these correct?

Pour about an inch of lemon juice into one jar and label it "acid." Put two level teaspoons of baking soda and about half a tablespoon of water in another jar. Now pour a tablespoon of lemon juice acid into the third jar for testing. Add the indicator until it turns pink. (This shows it is an acid). Then use the medicine dropper and add a few drops of base (the baking soda). Keep adding it one drop at a time until the solution turns purple. When this happens, the mixture is no longer an acid. Record the number of drops it took to turn the indicator purple. When a base is mixed with an acid, a salt is produced. In this case you also see the formation of bubbles as the two solutions are mixed. The bubbles result from the decomposition of carbonic acid, H₂CO₃ to carbon dioxide, CO₂ and water. The formula for citric acid, the acid in lemon juice is citric acid, HC₅H₇O₅CO₂. The formula for baking soda is NaHCO₃, sodium hydrogen carbonate.

Repeat the experiment except replace the lemon juice with vinegar. Vinegar is a solution of acetic acid, HCH₃CO₂. Don’t forget to record the number of drops it took to turn the indicator purple. You may need to make additional base to complete the neutralization. Prepare the base the same way you did the first portion.

1. Write an equation for the neutralization of lemon juice (citric acid) with baking soda (sodium hydrogen carbonate or sodium bicarbonate). You equation should show a proton transfer to form carbonic acid and a salt. **** The answer i got for this is H₃C₆H₅O₇ + 3NaHCO₃ -----> 3CO₂ + 3H₂O + Na₃C₆H₅O₇
2. Write an equation for the decomposition of carbonic acid to water and carbon dioxide. **** The answer i got for this is H₂CO₃ ------> H₂O + CO₂
3. Write an equation for the neutralization of vinegar. ***** The answer i got CH₃CH₂OH + NaHCO₃ -----> CH₃CONa +H₂O + CO₂
4. Did it take more or less base to neutralize the vinegar? **** My answer less
5. Based on your result which sample, lemon juice or vinegar, is more acidic? **** my answer lemon juice

Answer 1