Carbonic Acid Breakup: Does It Separate Immediately?

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JaeKyung
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Hello everyone,

Just one question:
Does carbonic acid always immediately separate into water and carbon dioxide?

I am writing down the reaction equation for HCl(aq) + NaHCO3(s) and HCl(aq) + Na2CO3(aq) that I tested in the lab.
My TA told me carbon dioxide wouldn't form but I don't know why that is, and I keep thinking H2CO3 would break up when it's formed.

Thank you in advance.
 
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It decomposes almost immediately. Actually... carbonic acid is quite stable, but not in the presence of water. As it decomposes producing water, its decomposition is pretty fast, so it is unstable :smile:

In other words: single, separated molecule is stable.

However, whether you will see evolving CO2 depends on how much will be produced - carbon dioxide is soluble in water.
 

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