Question

If a solution of potassium hydroxide is mixed with sulfuric acid, which type of reaction will most likely occur?

combustion
decomposition
single replacement
double replacement

(The only one I think could be correct is combustion because the reactants contain oxygen.)

Answer 1

Also, I'm pretty sure that this is the equation for it: KOH + H2SO4 → K2SO4 + 2H2O

Answer 2

What do you see happen in that equation?

Answer 3

neutralization

Answer 4

Neutralization is when you add bases and acids together to form salt and water. Recall what we saw in the last question you asked. Notice it here? But slightly more.

Answer 5

Ohhhh potassium hydroxide is a base. Ah so you ARE adding base to acid and obtaining salt and water. My bad. You are correct.

Answer 6

The only problem is I have no idea what reaction, from the choices above, that neutralization fits into...

Answer 7

Yea so look at what we did before this one. When you replaced an ion with another.

Answer 8

Correct me if I am wrong, but wouldn't it be single replacement?

Answer 9

I was told that one of the reactants had to be an element and the other a compound in single replacement.

Answer 10

Mhmm so you see K is switched with S and OH with O so...? There are you displacements there.

Answer 11

There are two*

Answer 12

Well, because the reaction between acid and any type of oxidized element would not be combustible and it wouldn't change the decomposition of a living organism. And if wolfe8 is correct with there being two then the only logical answer would be double replacement..

Answer 13

These are the notes from my class
- If there are more products than reactants, then it is a decomposition reaction.
- If oxygen is a part of the reactant, it is a combustion reaction.
- If one ion replaces another, it is a single replacement reaction.
- If there are two compounds in a reactant where cations switch, it is a double replacement reaction.
...so I'm not sure how a double compound could take place if only one of the reactants contains a cation.....
At this point, I'm not even sure what I'm talking about anymore, and since what ya'll are saying makes sense, I'm just going to take your words for it.

Answer 14

But you do have 2 compounds here with cations.

Answer 15

K+ OH- H+ (SO4)2- --> K+ (SO4)2- H+ OH-

Answer 16

I'm sorry. My brain is probably just being slow at the moment, but what else is a metal besides K in the reactants? Don't you have to have another metal for there to be another cation?

Answer 17

Cations are just positively charged ions. They don't have to be metals :) So here it is H+

Answer 18

Oh thank you so very much for your time. :)

Answer 19

You're very welcome