A \(25.00 \mathrm{~mL}\) sample of aqueous sulfuric acid of unknown concentration is neutralized by \(27.55\) \(\mathrm{mL}\) of \(1.0002 \mathrm{M} \mathrm{NaOH}(a q)\) (a) Write a net ionic equation for this acid-base neutralization reaction. (b) How many moles of \(\mathrm{NaOH}\) did it take for the neutralization? (c) How many moles of sulfuric acid were neutralized? (d) What is the molar concentration of the sulfuric acid?

Understanding the net ionic equation is crucial when examining acid-base neutralization reactions. The net ionic equation breaks down chemical reactions to show only the particles that participate in the chemical change, ignoring the spectator ions that do not change during the course of the reaction. In the neutralization of sulfuric acid with sodium hydroxide, the net ionic equation simplifies to
\(2H^+(aq) + 2OH^-(aq) \rightarrow 2H_2O(l)\).
This equation illustrates that the hydrogen ions (\(H^+\)) from the acid react with the hydroxide ions (\(OH^-\)) from the base to form water (\(H_2O\)). It provides a clear representation of the actual chemical changes occurring and is particularly useful for understanding stoichiometry and molar relationships in the reaction.

Stoichiometry is the aspect of chemistry that deals with the quantitative relationships between reactants and products in a chemical reaction. It uses the coefficients from the balanced chemical equation to relate the number of moles of all compounds involved in the reaction. In our scenario, the stoichiometry of the balanced equation for sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide indicates that two moles of sodium hydroxide react with one mole of sulfuric acid to produce one mole of sodium sulfate and two moles of water. Understanding the stoichiometric coefficients is essential to solving parts (b) and (c) of the exercise, where students find the moles of \(NaOH\) used and the corresponding moles of \(H_2SO_4\) neutralized.

Molar concentration, often referred to as molarity, is a measure of the concentration of a solute in a solution. It is defined as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution. The formula to calculate molarity is:
\(M = \frac{moles \, of \, solute}{volume \, of \, solution \, in \, liters}\).
A thorough grasp of molar concentration is instrumental in part (d) of our exercise, where the molar concentration of sulfuric acid is determined. Knowing how to convert milliliters to liters is also a key aspect, as calculations for molarity must use volume in liters. This concept helps students understand the strength or dilution of an acid or base in solution, which is significant in various scientific applications.

A chemical reaction is a process where reactants transform into products through a change in their chemical structure. In the context of our exercise, the acid-base neutralization reaction is a type of chemical reaction where an acid and a base react to form a salt and water. The reaction between sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide produces sodium sulfate and water. It is critical to comprehend the law of conservation of mass when representing these reactions, ensuring that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides of the equation. This understanding is fundamental for accurately writing and balancing chemical equations, which is the first step to solving any related stoichiometry or concentration problem.