What happens when you mix baking soda and iodized salt water?

Mixing sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and iodized salt water produces a chemical reaction that releases carbon dioxide gas. The ions and molecules present in the salt water can interact with those of baking soda, resulting in the formation of different substances. Here's a general description of what happens:

1. Upon mixing:

- Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) is an alkaline compound that can release hydrogen (H+) ions when dissolved in water.

- Iodized salt water contains sodium (Na+), chloride (Cl-), and iodide (I-) ions. The iodine is typically present in a very small amount as potassium iodide or sodium iodide.

2. Reaction:

- When sodium bicarbonate is added to iodized salt water, the H+ ions from baking soda can combine with the Cl- ions from salt to form hydrochloric acid (HCl), releasing carbon dioxide (CO2) gas as a byproduct.

- The reaction can be represented as: NaHCO3(aq) + HCl(aq) → CO2(g) + H2O(l) + NaCl(aq)

where '(aq)' denotes an aqueous solution and '(g)' indicates a gaseous substance.

3. Formation of Carbon Dioxide:

- The hydrogen ions from baking soda react with chloride ions to form HCl, which is a weak acid. The combination of H+ ions with other ions present can result in the liberation of carbon dioxide gas.

- The evolution of carbon dioxide gas causes fizzing and bubbling in the mixture, indicating the formation of gas bubbles.

4. Salt Concentration:

- The addition of baking soda increases the overall salt concentration of the solution because it contributes additional ions, such as sodium and bicarbonate ions, to the mixture.

- This increase in salt concentration can affect the taste, density, and various other properties of the solution.

5. Chemical Balance:

- In this reaction, the reactants and products are present in specific proportions based on their chemical properties and concentrations. The reaction proceeds until a chemical equilibrium is reached, where the rate of the forward reaction (formation of HCl and CO2) is balanced by the rate of the reverse reaction (recombination of ions).

It's important to note that the exact details and byproducts of the reaction can depend on the specific concentrations and conditions of the mixture. However, the release of carbon dioxide gas and the formation of hydrochloric acid are generally observed when baking soda is mixed with iodized salt water.