Question

10. Imagine that the unknown solution contains aqueous ammonium sulfate, which is commonly used in fertilizer. For the precipitation of barium sulfate after mixing aqueous ammonium sulfate solution and barium chloride solution (the reactants), write the (1) balanced molecular equation, (2) the complete ionic equation, (3) the net ionic equation AND identify the spectator ions, if any.

Answer 1

(1) (NH₄)₂SO₄(aq) + BaCl₂(aq) ⇒ BaSO₄(s) + 2 NH₄Cl(aq)

(2) 2 NH₄⁺(aq) + SO₄²⁻(aq) + Ba²⁺(aq) + 2 Cl⁻(aq) ⇒ BaSO₄(s) + 2 NH₄⁺(aq) + 2 Cl⁻(aq)

(3) SO₄²⁻(aq) + Ba²⁺(aq) ⇒ BaSO₄(s)

(4) NH₄⁺ and Cl⁻

Step-by-step explanation:

(1) Let's consider the molecular equation that occurs after mixing aqueous ammonium sulfate solution and barium chloride solution. This is a double displacement reaction.

(NH₄)₂SO₄(aq) + BaCl₂(aq) ⇒ BaSO₄(s) + 2 NH₄Cl(aq)

(2) The complete ionic equation includes all the ions and insoluble species.

2 NH₄⁺(aq) + SO₄²⁻(aq) + Ba²⁺(aq) + 2 Cl⁻(aq) ⇒ BaSO₄(s) + 2 NH₄⁺(aq) + 2 Cl⁻(aq)

(3) The net ionic equation includes only the ions that participate in the reaction (not spectator ions) and the insoluble species.

SO₄²⁻(aq) + Ba²⁺(aq) ⇒ BaSO₄(s)

(4) The spectator ions are NH₄⁺ and Cl⁻.