Question

(d) AgC2H302(aq) + Nicl2(aq) → AgCl(s) + Ni(C2H302)2(aq) What’s the ionic equation?

Answer 1

Answer:

Net ionic equation:

$\rm Ag^{+}\; (aq) + Cl^{-}\; (aq) \to AgCl\; (s)$.

Explanation:

Start by balancing the chemical equation. The acetate (IUPAC: ethanoate) ion $\rm {C_2H_3O_2}^{-}$ is a polyatomic ion. These ions stayed intact during this reaction. These ions could thus be considered as a monatomic ion $\rm Ac^{-}$ to make this equation easier to balance.

$\rm ?\; AgAc\; (aq) + ?\; NiCl_2\;(aq)\to ?\; AgCl\; (s) + ?\;NiAc_2\; (aq)$

Assign a coefficient of 1 to $\rm Ni(C_2 H_3O_2)$:

$\rm ?\; AgAc\; (aq) + ?\; NiCl_2\;(aq)\to ?\; AgCl\; (s) + {\bf 1}\;NiAc_2\; (aq)$

$\rm {\bf 2}\; AgAc\; (aq) + {\bf 1}\; NiCl_2\;(aq)\to ?\; AgCl\; (s) + 1\;NiAc_2\; (aq)$

$\rm {2}\; AgAc\; (aq) + {1}\; NiCl_2\;(aq)\to {\bf 2}\; AgCl\; (s) + 1\;NiAc_2\; (aq)$

Rewrite this chemical equation as an ionic equation. For each salt in this reaction: if the salt dissolves in water, rewrite it as the ions that in produce. Don't rewrite species that won't dissolve into ions.

For example:

• The salt $\rm NiCl_2$ is soluble in water. It dissolves to produce $\rm Ni^{2+}$ ions and $\rm Cl^{-}$ ions. Hence rewrite $NiCl_2$ as $\rm Ni^{2+} + Cl^{-}$
• The salt $\rm AgCl\; (s)$ is insoluble in water. Do not rewrite.

$\begin{aligned}&\rm {2}\; Ag^{+} + 2\; Ac^{-}\; (aq) + Ni^{2+} + 2\;Cl^{-}\;(aq)\\\to &\rm {2}\; AgCl\; (s) + Ni^{+}\;(aq) + 2\; Ac^{-}\; (aq)\end{aligned}$.

Eliminate terms that appear on both side of this equation.

$\rm {2}\; Ag^{+} + 2\;Cl^{-}\;(aq) \to {2}\; AgCl\; (s)$.

Simplify the coefficients:

$\rm Ag^{+} + Cl^{-}\;(aq) \to AgCl\; (s)$.