Calculate the volume of \(1.00 \mathrm{~mol} \mathrm{~L}^{-1}\) aqueous sodium hydroxide that is neutralized by \(200 \mathrm{~mL}\) of \(2.00 \mathrm{~mol} \mathrm{~L}^{-1}\) aqueous hydrochloric acid and the mass of sodium chloride produced. Neutralization reaction is; $$ \mathrm{NaOH} \text { (aq.) }+\mathrm{HCl} \text { (aq.) } \longrightarrow \mathrm{NaCl}(\mathrm{aq} .)+\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(\mathrm{l}) $$

Chemical stoichiometry is essentially the math behind chemistry. It concerns the quantitative relationships between the reactants and products in a chemical reaction. Stoichiometry allows chemists to predict the amounts of substances consumed and produced in a given reaction.

For example, in a neutralization reaction such as the one provided, \( \mathrm{NaOH} \text{ (aq.) } + \mathrm{HCl} \text{ (aq.) } \longrightarrow \mathrm{NaCl}(\mathrm{aq} .) + \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(\mathrm{l}) \) the stoichiometry tells us that one mole of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) reacts with one mole of hydrochloric acid (HCl) to produce one mole of sodium chloride (NaCl) and one mole of water (H2O). This is a 1:1:1:1 ratio.

When solving stoichiometry problems, the first step is always to write out a balanced chemical equation. This equation serves as a recipe that outlines exactly how much of each reactant is needed to create a certain amount of product. With the balanced equation in hand, stoichiometry becomes a straightforward task of using conversion factors to move between moles, mass, and, if in solution, volume.

In chemistry, 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. This concept is crucial when dealing with reactions in solution, such as titrations and neutralization reactions.

The formula to calculate molarity is: \( \text{Molarity (M)} = \frac{\text{moles of solute}}{\text{volume of solution in liters}} \). It's vital to understand that the volume of the solution must be in liters to use this formula correctly. Working with molarity allows chemists to calculate how much of a chemical is present in a given volume of solution, which is particularly helpful in predicting the outcomes of reactions.

Practical Application in Neutralization

In the given problem, the molarity of hydrochloric acid (HCl) is mentioned as 2.00 M. This means that for every liter of solution, there are 2 moles of HCl. Molarity can be used to figure out the number of moles in any sample of the solution, given its volume, which then informs the amount of reactant or product involved.

Titration is a common laboratory technique used to determine the unknown concentration of a solution. It involves the gradual addition of a solution of known concentration (the titrant) to a solution of unknown concentration (the analyte) until the reaction reaches an endpoint. This endpoint could be determined by a color change, pH change, or any other observable property that indicates the reaction is complete.

During a titration, a neutralization reaction often occurs, such as the one between NaOH and HCl in the problem. The known concentration of the titrant makes it possible to calculate the exact amount of substance needed to react completely with the analyte. Stoichiometry is the backbone of this process as it requires a balanced chemical equation to determine the molar relationships between the reactants.

This technique is particularly useful in industry and research to assure quality control, where exact concentrations of substances are paramount, and in educational settings, where it serves as an essential teaching tool for understanding stoichiometry and molarity calculations.