The balanced chemical reaction between sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is:
H2SO4+2NaOH→Na2SO4+2H2O\text{H}_2\text{SO}_4+2\text{NaOH}\rightarrow \text{Na}_2\text{SO}_4+2\text{H}_2\text{O}H2SO4+2NaOH→Na2SO4+2H2O
This shows that 1 mole of sulfuric acid reacts with 2 moles of sodium hydroxide
. Given 38 moles of H₂SO₄, the moles of NaOH required are:
38 moles H2SO4×2 moles NaOH1 mole H2SO4=76 moles NaOH38\text{ moles H}_2\text{SO}_4\times \frac{2\text{ moles NaOH}}{1\text{ mole H}_2\text{SO}_4}=76\text{ moles NaOH}38 moles H2SO4×1 mole H2SO42 moles NaOH=76 moles NaOH
Therefore, 76 moles of NaOH will react completely with 38 moles of H₂SO₄.