Question

what gas is produced, resulting in the bubbles and foaming, when sodium bicarbonate is added to ethyl ether?

Answer 1

No reaction between sodium carbonate and ethyl ether would occur at room temperature. Since ether has a low boiling point it will evaporate easily. Physical blowing agents form cells by a phase change, eg, a liquid may be volatilized. A blowing or foaming agent is a substance that releases gas, when heated to a specific temperature. A classic blowing agent, such as sodium bicarbonate upon thermal decomposition gives CO₂ gas. When it is heated above about 80°C it begins to break down, forming sodium carbonate, water and carbon dioxide. This type of reaction is called a thermal decomposition

2 NaHCO₃ (s) → Na₂CO₃ (s) + H₂O(g)+ CO₂ (g)

CO₂ (g) bubbles lag Na₂CO₃ solid to top and due to non-mixing nature of non-polar ether and polar Na₂CO₃ results foaming.

Hope this helped you!

Thank You So Much! Please Rate this answer as you wish.("Thumbs Up")