Question

A mixture of soda lime and sodium acetate is heated is:
 \[{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COONa + NaOH }}\xrightarrow{{{\text{CaO}}}}{\text{ C}}{{\text{H}}_{\text{4}}}{\text{ + N}}{{\text{a}}_{\text{2}}}{\text{C}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{3}}}\]
A. True
B. False

Answer 1

Hint:There are two carbon atoms in sodium acetate. During the reaction, one carbon atom will undergo oxidation whereas another carbon atom will undergo reduction.

Complete answer:
Soda lime is a mixture of sodium hydroxide and calcium oxide. Soda-lime reacts with sodium acetate to form methane and sodium carbonate. Write the balanced chemical equation for the reaction of soda-lime with sodium acetate to form methane and sodium carbonate as shown below.
\[{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COONa + NaOH }}\xrightarrow{{{\text{CaO}}}}{\text{ C}}{{\text{H}}_{\text{4}}}{\text{ + N}}{{\text{a}}_{\text{2}}}{\text{C}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{3}}}\]
In the above reaction, the carbon atom of methyl group is reduced as it gains one more hydrogen atom to form methane. In the methyl group there are three hydrogen atoms. In methane, there are four hydrogen atoms. Thus, during the conversion of the methyl group to methane, you add one hydrogen atom. Addition of hydrogen is reduction. Thus, the methyl group is reduced to methane.
The carbon atom of acetate group of sodium acetate is oxidized to sodium carbonate. In the acetate group of sodium acetate, two oxygen atoms are present. In sodium carbonate, three oxygen atoms are present. Thus, when you convert the acetate group of sodium acetate to sodium carbonate, you add one oxygen atom. Addition of oxygen is an oxidation reaction. Thus, the carbon atom of acetate group of sodium acetate is oxidized to sodium carbonate.
Thus, the reaction of sodium acetate with soda-lime to form methane and sodium carbonate is a redox reaction which involves simultaneous oxidation and reduction of half reactions.
Thus, the given statement is true.

Hence, the correct option is option A True

Note:
In this reaction, a sodium salt of carboxylic acid is converted to a hydrocarbon. The number of carbon atoms present in the hydrocarbon is one less than the number of carbon atoms present in the sodium salt of carboxylic acid. For example, sodium acetate contains two carbon atoms whereas methane contains only one carbon atom.