What is the result of a reaction between a carboxylic acid and carbonates?

When a carboxylic acid reacts with carbonates, one of the key products of this reaction is carbon dioxide gas (CO2). This occurs due to the acid-base reaction where the carboxylic acid donates a proton (H+) to the carbonate (CO3^2-), leading to the formation of bicarbonate (HCO3^-) first and then carbon dioxide and water. The overall reaction can be illustrated as follows:

RCOOH + Na2CO3 → RCOONa + H2O + CO2 ↑

In this reaction, the evolution of carbon dioxide gas is often observed as bubbling or fizzing, which is a characteristic indication that a reaction is taking place. This effervescence is what makes the production of CO2 bubbles the most evident and notable result of this reaction.

While the formation of a salt (the carboxylate salt from the acid) is also a result of this reaction, it is secondary to the more observable evolution of carbon dioxide. The release of hydrogen gas does not occur in this scenario because carbonates do not produce hydrogen gas in the presence of carboxylic acids. Similarly, the formation of water is a by-product, but it is not the most prominent