Question

Does a reaction occur when aqueous solutions of potassium acetate and sodium hydroxide are combined?

a.yes b.no
If a reaction does occur, write the net ionic equation.
Use the solubility rules provided in the OWL Preparation Page to determine the solubility of compounds. Be sure to specify states such as (aq) or (s). If a box is not needed leave it blank.

Answer 1

No reaction occurs when potassium acetate and sodium hydroxide solutions are combined, as all components are soluble in water. No net ionic equation is needed.

Step-by-step explanation:

When aqueous solutions of potassium acetate and sodium hydroxide are mixed, no reaction occurs. Both potassium acetate and sodium hydroxide are strong electrolytes and will dissociate completely in solution. The reaction would involve exchanging the 'spectator' cations (potassium and sodium), but since all possible products are soluble according to solubility rules, no precipitate forms, and no net ionic equation can be written.

The complete reaction would traditionally be as follows:

KC2H3O2(aq) + NaOH(aq) → NaC2H3O2(aq) + KOH(aq)

Since all ions remain in solution and no precipitation occurs, every ion is considered a spectator ion resulting in no net change.