15 Facts on H2SO3 + K2O: What, How To Balance & FAQs

H2SO3 + K2O is another famous acid-base reaction that involves neutral salt formation. Let us understand various factors related to it as illustrated in this article.

H2SO3 + K2O reaction involves reactants sulfurous acid and potassium oxide. H2SO3 is an intermediate product of acid rain and is considered a weak acid due to its inability to dissociate completely. On the other hand, K2O is a highly reactive oxide base.

The H2SO3 + K2O reaction leads to the production of K2SO3 as the main product and H2O as the side product. Let us inspect various properties related to this reaction like titration, reaction type, balancing, conjugation, intermolecular forces, etc.

What is the product of H2SO3 and K2O?

H2SO3 + K2O reaction results in the products potassium sulfite (K2SO3) and water (H2O). Here K2SO3 is salt and water is formed as a by-product in the reaction mixture.

H2SO3 + K2O = K2SO3 + H2O

K2SO3
H2SO3 + K2O product representation

What type of reaction is H2SO3 + K2O?

H2SO3 + K2O is an acid-base reaction also known as a neutralization reaction. Here H2SO3 is acid and K2O is a base that produces salt K2SO3 in the aqueous medium.

How to balance H2SO3 + K2O?

H2SO3 + K2O reaction can be balanced in the following ways:

  • Write the equation in its raw form mentioning both reactants and the products.
  • Tabulate the no. of atoms of reactants and products in the reaction.
  • Balance the atoms on both sides of reactants and products using hit and trial methods.
  • Rewrite the balanced equation and check the stoichiometry.

H2SO3 + K2O = K2SO3 + H2O

Name of the elementNo. of atoms (Reactants)No. of atoms (Products)
Hydrogen (H)22
Oxygen (O)44
Sulfur (S)11
Potassium (K)22
Tabular representation of balancing H2SO3 + K2O

H2SO3 + K2O titration

H2SO3 + K2O undergoes weak acid vs strong base titration.

Apparatus

Burette, Pipette, titration flask, conical flask, beaker, glass rod, iron stand.

The indicator used

Phenolphthalein is the preferred indicator in the weak acid vs strong base titration because of its high pKa of 9.1. Also, it can reach the endpoint with a strong titrant giving a basic titration curve.

Process

The titration of a weak acid by a strong base will involve the direct transfer of a proton from the weak acid to the hydroxide ion. Also, the acid and base reaction will be in one-to-one ratio.

H2SO3 + K2O net ionic equation

H2SO3 + K2O net ionic equation cannot be calculated due to the unavailability of its solubility quotient. The solubility quotient of H2SO3 is aqueous and that of the product K2SO3 and H2O is aqueous and liquid respectively. But the solubility of K2O is unknown which restricts the dissociation.

H2SO3 + K2O conjugate pairs

Acid-base conjugation involves the donation and acceptance of protons during the acid-base reaction. The conjugate pairs in H2SO3 + K2O are:

  • The conjugate base of H2SO3 is HSO3 which is called a bisulfate anion.
  • The conjugate acid is OH which is obtained from the donation of the proton from the H3O+ ion.

H2SO3 and K2O intermolecular forces

H2SO3 + K2O reaction exhibits many intermolecular forces in its respective reactants. These forces are:

  • The intermolecular forces holding K2O are ion-dipole interactions and electrovalent bonding which are deemed as strong bonding.
  • H2SO3 is formed by sharing of electrons between non-metals hydrogen, oxygen, and sulfur and is bonded through single and double covalent bonding.

H2SO3 + K2O reaction enthalpy

H2SO3 + K2O standard enthalpy of formation in water or aqueous medium is -(10.06 +/-0.21) KJ/mol. The negative sign implies heat release and more entropy.

Is H2SO3 + K2O a buffer solution?

H2SO3 + K2O can form a buffer solution due to the presence of a weak acid and strong base. This is because a weak acid will not ionize completely and will only ionize if force is applied. So, a mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base can form a buffer solution which keeps things pretty much balanced.

Is H2SO3 + K2O a complete reaction?

H2SO3 + K2O is a complete reaction because the equilibrium is in the forward direction and all the reactants get exhausted after the product formation. The equilibrium is not dynamic.

Is H2SO3 + K2O an exothermic or endothermic reaction?

H2SO3 + K2O is an exothermic reaction which implies that the reaction mixture generates heat. It is evident from the reaction mixture itself which becomes warm after the product formation.

Is H2SO3 + K2O a redox reaction?

H2SO3 + K2O is not a redox reaction because the oxidation state of the element does not change during the reaction. So no compound is either oxidizing or reducing agent.

Is H2SO3 + K2O a precipitation reaction?

H2SO3 + K2O is not a precipitation reaction because the products formed are soluble in an aqueous medium and do not exist in solidified form. Also, the product K2SO3 is soluble in water and exists in liquid form on separation. 

Is H2SO3 + K2O reversible or irreversible reaction?

H2SO3 + K2O is an irreversible reaction because the products K2SO3 and H2O cannot reverse to starting materials. After the formation of products in an acid-base reaction there is an exhaustion of reactants which confirms the forward or irreversible nature of the reaction.

Is H2SO3 + K2O displacement reaction?

H2SO3 + K2O is a double displacement reaction also known as a salt metathesis reaction. Here there is the exchange of cations and anions which leads to the product formation of K2SO3 and H2O. 

Conclusion

H2SO3 + K2O is an acid-base reaction that focuses on the reaction between a weak acid and a strong base. It is also a double displacement reaction and forms a basic titration curve along with a buffer solution at its equivalence point.