Final answer:
The balanced molecular equation for the reaction between aluminum metal and copper chloride solution is 2 Al (s) + 3 CuCl2 (aq) → 2 AlCl3 (aq) + 3 Cu (s).
Step-by-step explanation:
The balanced molecular equation for the reaction of aluminum metal with a solution of copper chloride is:
2 Al (s) + 3 CuCl2 (aq) → 2 AlCl3 (aq) + 3 Cu (s)
This is a single displacement reaction where aluminum metal displaces copper ions from the copper chloride compound to form aluminum chloride in solution and solid copper.
To balance the equation, start with the correct formulas for the reactants and products. Aluminum (Al) can give off three electrons to form Al3+, and copper (II) chloride (CuCl2) decomposes into copper ions (Cu2+) and chloride ions (Cl−). We balance the number of atoms for each element on both sides of the reaction. In this case, two aluminum atoms on the reactant side results in two aluminum atoms in the form of aluminum chloride on the product side, while three copper chloride units produce three copper atoms.