Final answer:
The balanced net ionic equation for the addition of aqueous sodium iodide to aqueous silver nitrate is Ag+(aq) + I−(aq) → AgI(s), which indicates the formation of silver iodide precipitate from the reaction.
Step-by-step explanation:
When aqueous sodium iodide is added to a solution of aqueous silver nitrate, a reaction occurs where silver iodide, a solid precipitate, is formed, and sodium nitrate remains in solution. The overall chemical equation for this reaction is:
NaI(aq) + AgNO3(aq) → AgI(s) + NaNO3(aq)
We can then write the complete ionic equation which shows all the ions present:
Na+(aq) + I−(aq) + Ag+(aq) + NO3−(aq) → AgI(s) + Na+(aq) + NO3−(aq)
The net ionic equation is the equation that shows only the species that actually change during the reaction. Therefore, the sodium and nitrate ions, which remain in solution and are known as spectator ions, are omitted, leaving us with:
Ag+(aq) + I−(aq) → AgI(s)