If this equilibrium is correct,
CO2 +H2O H2CO3 HCO3 + H CO3+2H
it means that when CO2 is added then the equilibrium is shifted to the right, increasing HCO3 and H.
Could this lead to pH reduction?
my ideia to your question is: NO! because H2CO3 was sedimentation in liqure. sedimentation need to pH incresation. CO2 (alone) reduction pH.
Thanks for the file is very good, but I was a little bit confused because at page 32 at the beginning of the last paragraph says that the increase of CO2 will increase hydrogen cations (pH reduction) and according to the equilibrium also HCO3 will be increased. Probably my question made confusion. My problem is the following:
I have a rice field where the irrigation water has higher pH and lower concentration of HCO3 in comparison to the ponded water in the field. Is it possible this difference to be the result of CO2 production in the field which shifts the equilibrium at the right side?javascript:
It is possible. Since carbon dioxide reacts with water to form carbonic acid, an increase in CO2 (not HCO3) results in a decrease in pH.
Mariele hit the point correctly, its actually a mis-conception to think that the HCO3 will cause a decrease in pH. THere is a difference between carbonate and carbonic acid.
When CO2 react with water it makes carbonic acid which is week acid and unstable soon it converted into HCO3. Thus high HCO3 in water decreases the pH of water.
HCO3 and pH are inversely proportional. When HCO3 increases , pH value decreases. For example normal sea water has around 8.2 pH and HCO3 is below 150mg/lit. In addition to this, in many hot springs, HCO3 is >300mg/lit and pH is < 7.4..
when you are talking about CO2 and water, you will get both Hydogen cations and HCO3 anion. each one has its effect on pH with the same concentration they must not affect pH because one will shift it to one side by the same amount so it will not be deflected except if one of them been used in a reaction.
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