Consider the reaction: 2Al(OH)3 + 3H2SO4 \rightarrow x + 6y. What are the correct formulas for x and y?

• A. x = Al2O3, y = H2SO4
• B. x = Al2(SO4)3, y = SO3
• C. x = Al(OH)3, y = SO2
• D. x = Al2(SO4)3, y = H2O

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the reactants and products in the given reaction: 2Al(OH)3 + 3H2SO4 \rightarrow x + 6y. Here, Al(OH)3 is aluminum hydroxide and H2SO4 is sulfuric acid.
2. Recognize that this is an acid-base reaction where aluminum hydroxide (a base) reacts with sulfuric acid to form a salt and water.
3. Determine the salt formed by combining the aluminum ion (Al^{3+}) with the sulfate ion (SO4^{2-}). Since aluminum has a +3 charge and sulfate has a -2 charge, the formula for the salt is Al2(SO4)3 to balance the charges.
4. Identify the other product as water (H2O), which forms from the neutralization of hydroxide ions (OH^-) and hydrogen ions (H^+) from the acid.
5. Write the balanced chemical equation with the correct formulas: 2Al(OH)3 + 3H2SO4 \rightarrow Al2(SO4)3 + 6H2O, confirming that x = Al2(SO4)3 and y = H2O.