A student submits the following net ionic equation to describe the reaction that…
CHEMISTRY · Multi-part · A Level · Chemistry · Reactions of ions in aqueous solution · Reactions of ions in aqueous solution
Problem
A student submits the following net ionic equation to describe the reaction that occurs when aqueous solutions of sodium sulfate and barium nitrate are mixed at room temperature:
SO42−(aq)+Ba+(aq)→BaSO4(s)
Carefully examine the student’s equation and the macroscopic observation that a white precipitate forms immediately after mixing.
(a) Identify every error present in the student’s written equation. For each error, explicitly state what feature of the equation is incorrect.
(b) For one of the errors you identified in part (a), explain—at the particulate level—why the student’s representation cannot be correct.
(c) Write the correct net ionic equation for the reaction, ensuring that atoms and charge are conserved and that the physical states of all species are properly indicated.
(d) Briefly describe how your corrected net ionic equation accounts for the observed formation of a white precipitate.