Final answer:
The reaction given is a double replacement reaction where compounds exchange ions to form new products. Magnesium chloride reacts with sodium sulfite, producing magnesium sulfite as a precipitate and aqueous sodium chloride.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reaction MgCl₂(aq) + Na₂SO₃(aq) → MgSO₃(s) + 2NaCl (aq) is an example of a double replacement reaction. In this type of chemical reaction, the anions and cations of two different molecules switch places, forming two entirely different compounds. This particular reaction takes an aqueous magnesium chloride solution and reacts it with an aqueous sodium sulfite solution, resulting in the formation of a solid magnesium sulfite precipitate and an aqueous sodium chloride solution.
Double replacement reactions often occur in aqueous solutions and can result in the formation of a precipitate, a gas, or a weak electrolyte, such as water. For example, in a different double replacement reaction involving magnesium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid, Mg(OH)₂ (s) + 2HCl(aq) → MgCl₂ (aq) + 2H₂O(l), the products formed are the soluble salt magnesium chloride and water, a weak electrolyte.