Two aqueous solutions are mixed in a beaker at 25 °C
CHEMISTRY · Multi-part · AP · Chemistry · Chemical Reactions · Chemical Reactions
Problem
Two aqueous solutions are mixed in a beaker at 25 °C. The initial particulate-level representation (before mixing) is:
• Solution A (left side of an imaginary midline) contains 8 white spheres labeled Ag⁺ and 8 striped spheres labeled NO₃⁻, dispersed uniformly.
• Solution B (right side) contains 8 gray spheres labeled Na⁺ and 8 dark spheres labeled Cl⁻, dispersed uniformly.
The final particulate representation (30 s after the solutions are combined) shows the following:
• Most of the white Ag⁺ and dark Cl⁻ spheres have aggregated into several large, irregular clusters that settle to the bottom of the container.
• The surrounding solution still contains free striped NO₃⁻ spheres and gray Na⁺ spheres in approximately equal numbers.
• No gaseous species or additional ions are present.
Answer the following questions. Use appropriate chemical terminology throughout.
(a) Describe the macroscopic evidence for a chemical change that is consistent with the particulate representation given.
(b) Classify the reaction type illustrated. Justify your choice with reference to specific features of the particulate diagram.
(c) Write the balanced molecular equation, the complete ionic equation, and the net ionic equation for the chemical change that occurred.
(d) Explain, in terms of conservation of mass and charge, how the particulate diagram supports the balanced net ionic equation you wrote in part (c).