Sciencemadness Discussion Board

HF production question

Yttrium2 - 5-10-2015 at 20:02

In Gen chem 1 I remember learning some like how the more electronegative anion will displace the anion with lower electronegativity. We saw color changed when mixing certain hydrohalogens, if I remember correctly.(is this correct) Well, anyways I'm wondering when
CaF2 is added to H2SO4,

how come the fluorine atoms combine with the hydrogen?


Haven't reviewed my notes for a while

[Edited on 6-10-2015 by Yttrium2]

Yttrium2 - 5-10-2015 at 20:04

Does it have to do with the atomic radius? The smaller the more stronger the bond?
Wish I haven't forgotten so much.

Yikes

DalisAndy - 5-10-2015 at 21:06

I think it's because of the fact most metal salt will recombined with another anion up to a point, using la chatelier's princple. I know copper(II) sulfate will recombined with HCl, to form some copper(II) chloride

Darkstar - 5-10-2015 at 21:16

First of all, the CaF2 is technically in equilibrium with HF:

CaF2 + H2SO4 ⇌ 2 HF + CaSO4

Second of all, this reaction is not carried out at room temperature, but at temperatures upwards of 300 °C. Since HF boils at around 20 °C, it quickly leaves the reaction vessel as a gas once it forms. This shifts the equilibrium far over to the right to favor HF production.

The overall reaction looks like this:

CaF2(s) + H2SO4(l) → 2 HF(g) + CaSO4(s)


And yes, the bond between hydrogen and fluorine is extremely strong since the fluoride ion is so tiny. Due to its size, the negative charge on fluoride is distributed over a small area making it extremely strong. This is one of the reasons that hydrofluoric acid is a weak acid. (it also has to do with its interaction with water molecules, though)