The reactions of sodium halides with concentrated sulfuric acid

Sodium chloride
1. steamy fumes of hydrogen chloride are seen
2. solid sodium hydrogensulfate is evolved
3. NaCl (s) + H2SO4 (l) --> NaHSO4 (s) + HCl (g)
4. NOT a redox reaction as the oxidation state has not changed as the chlorine ion is too weak a reducing agent
5. acid-base reaction
Sodium fluoride
1. steamy fumes of hydrogen fluoride are seen
2. fluoride ion is an even weaker reducing agent than the chloride ion.
Sodium bromide
1. steamy fumes of hydrogen bromide are seen
2. brown fumes of bromine are seen
3. colourless sulfur dioxide is also formed
  1. because the bromide ions are strong enough reducing agents to reduce the sulfuric acid to sulfur dioxide
Sodium iodide
1. steamy fumes of hydrogen iodide are seen
2. black solid of iodine forms
3. bad egg smell of hydrogen sulfide gas
4. yellow solid sulfur may occur
5. colourless sulfur dioxide is also evolved

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	Created by emilyorr97 over 10 years ago