So I have a mixture of NaCL and 2NaHCO3, table salt and sodium bicarbonate. I need two methods of finding the proportionality of the two in this mixture, and I am given the use of anything in the lab.
My first method involves weighing the mixture, weighing some HCl, adding the HCl, stirring for a few minutes, and weighing the result. I should be able to find the weight of sodium bicarbonate in the mixture by using the weight lost by changing to gas and the chemical equation:
2NaHCO3 + HCl = NaCL + H2O + CO2
If this first method looks good, then great. But I am completely lost on the second method. I looked at the thermal decomposition of 2NaHCO3 and found that it decomposes at 60ºC into Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2, but that further heating will decompose the Na2CO3 into Na2O + CO2, so there seems to be no way to measure the weight lost by CO2 formation?
Both compounds are soluble in water, so there seems to be a roadblock in that direction as well?
Any help is appreciated, thanks