Final answer:
The reaction between barium chloride and sodium phosphate results in the formation of a precipitate, barium phosphate, and soluble sodium chloride. The net ionic equation shows the conversion of barium and phosphate ions into solid barium phosphate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reaction between barium chloride and sodium phosphate is a classic example of a double displacement reaction, also known as a precipitation reaction. When these two solutions are mixed, the barium ions (Ba2+) from barium chloride will react with the phosphate ions (PO43-) from sodium phosphate to form solid barium phosphate (Ba3(PO4)2), which is a precipitate, and the sodium ions (Na+) will bond with the chloride ions (Cl-) to form sodium chloride in solution.
The overall chemical equation for this reaction is:
BaCl2(aq) + Na3PO4(aq) → Ba3(PO4)2(s) + 6 NaCl(aq)
In the complete ionic equation, all strong electrolytes are shown as dissociated ions:
3 Ba2+(aq) + 6 Cl-(aq) + 6 Na+(aq) + 2 PO43-(aq) → Ba3(PO4)2(s) + 6 Na+(aq) + 6 Cl-(aq)
The net ionic equation, which shows only the species that actually change during the reaction, is:
3 Ba2+(aq) + 2 PO43-(aq) → Ba3(PO4)2(s)
To confirm the occurrence of this reaction, one can consider the rules for predicting solubility of ionic compounds. According to these rules, barium phosphate is insoluble in water and will precipitate, while sodium chloride remains soluble.