Dry pellets of base 'X' when kept in open absorb moisture and turn sticky. The compound is also formed by chlor-alkali process. Write chemical name and formula of X. Describe chlor-alkali process with balanced chemical equation. Name the type of reaction that occures when X is treated with dilute hydrochloric acid. Write the chemical equation. While diluting an acid, why is it recommended that the acid should be added to water and not water to the acid ?

Explanation

The base 'X' is NaOH. It is of deliquescent nature and absorbs moisture from air and becomes wet. It is manufactured by chlor-alkali process. For details consult section 2.13. The reaction of NoOH with dilute HCl is known as neutralisation reaction.
`NaOH+HCl toNaCl +H_(2)O` (Neutralisation reaction)
Pure HCl is highly concentrated. In case, it is to be diluted, the acid should be added drop-by-drop to water taken in a glass beaker with constant stirring. Actually, the acid has a strong affinity for water and the process of dissolution is highly exothermic. If water is added to acid so much heat is evolved that the glass beaker is likely ro crack and the acid will spill.