Lesson 3

Reactions in Aqueous
Solutions
 Focus Question

What is unique about reactions that take

place in water?
 New Vocabulary

aqueous solution
solute
solvent
complete ionic equation
spectator ion
net ionic equation
 Review Vocabulary

solution: a uniform mixture that might contain

solids, liquids, or gases
 Aqueous Solutions

• When a substance dissolves in water, a

solution forms.
• An aqueous solution contains one or more
substances called solutes dissolved in the
water.
• Water is the solvent—the most plentiful
substance in the solution.
 Aqueous Solutions

Molecular Compounds in Solution

• There are many possible solutes.
• Sugar and alcohol are molecular compounds
that exist as molecules in aqueous solutions.
• Other solutes are molecular compounds that
form ions when they dissolve in water.
• Compounds that produce hydrogen ions in
aqueous solutions are acids.
 Aqueous Solutions

• Ionic compounds can also be solutes in

aqueous solutions.
• When ionic compounds dissolve in water,
their ions separate in a process called
dissociation.
 Types of Reactions in Aqueous Solutions

• When two aqueous solutions that contain

ions as solutes are combined, the ions might
react with one another.
• These reactions are always double-
replacement reactions.
• The solvent molecules, which are all water
molecules, do not usually react.
• Three types of products can form from the
double-replacement reaction: a precipitate,
water, or a gas.
 Types of Reactions in Aqueous Solutions

Reactions that Form Precipitates

• Some reactions that occur in aqueous solutions
produce precipitates.
• Aqueous solutions of sodium hydroxide and
copper(II) chloride react to form the precipitate
copper(II) hydroxide.

2NaOH(aq) + CuCl2(aq) → 2NaCl(aq) + Cu(OH)2(s)

 Types of Reactions in Aqueous Solutions

• Complete ionic equations are ionic equations

that show all of the particles in a solution as
they actually exist.

2Na+(aq) + 2OH–(aq) + Cu2+ (aq)+ 2Cl–(aq) → 2Na+(aq)

+ 2Cl–(aq) + Cu(OH)2(s)

• Notice that the sodium and chloride ions are

both reactants and products. They do not
participate in the reaction.
 Types of Reactions in Aqueous Solutions

• Ions that do not participate in a reaction are

called spectator ions. They are not usually
written in ionic equations.
• Formulas that include only the particles that
participate in reactions are called net ionic
equations.

2OH–(aq) + Cu2+(aq) → Cu(OH)2(s)

REACTIONS THAT FORM A PRECIPITATE

Use with Example Problem 3. SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN

Problem Write the correct chemical formulas and
Write the chemical, complete ionic, and net ionic physical states for all substances involved in
equations for the reaction between aqueous the reaction.
solutions of barium nitrate and sodium carbonate
that forms the precipitate barium carbonate. Ba(NO3)2(aq) + Na2CO3(aq) → BaCO3(s) +
NaNO3(aq)
Response • Balance the skeleton equation.
ANALYZE THE PROBLEM Ba(NO3)2(aq) + Na2CO3(aq) → BaCO3(s) +
You are given the word equation for the reaction
2NaNO3(aq)
between barium nitrate and sodium carbonate. You
must determine the chemical formulas and relative • Show the ions of the reactants and the
amounts of all reactants and products to write the products.
balanced chemical equation. To write the complete ionic
equation, you need to show the ionic states of the Ba2+(aq) + 2NO3−(aq) + 2Na+(aq) + CO32−(aq) →
reactants and products. By crossing out the spectator BaCO3(s) + 2Na+(aq) + 2NO3−(aq)
ions from the complete ionic equation, you can write the
net ionic equation. The net ionic equation will include
fewer substances than the other equations.
REACTIONS THAT FORM A PRECIPITATE

EVALUATE THE ANSWER

SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
• The net ionic equation includes fewer
Cross out the spectator ions from the
substances than the other equations because
complete ionic equation.
it shows only the reacting particles. The
Ba2+(aq) + 2NO3−(aq) + 2Na+(aq) + CO32−(aq) →
particles composing the solid precipitate that
BaCO3(s) + 2Na+(aq) + 2NO3−(aq) is the result of the reaction are no longer
• Write the net ionic equation. ions.
Ba2+(aq) + CO32− → BaCO3(s)
 Types of Reactions in Aqueous Solutions

Reactions that form water

• Another type of double-replacement reaction
that occurs in an aqueous solution produces
water molecules. For example:

HBr(aq) + NaOH(aq) → H2O(l) +

NaBr(aq)

• Without spectator ions, the reaction looks

like this:

H+(aq) + OH–(aq) → H2O(l)

REACTIONS THAT FORM WATER

Use with Example Problem 4.

SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
Problem
Write the chemical, complete ionic, and net ionic Write the skeleton equation for the reaction
equations for the reaction between hydrochloric and balance it.
acid and aqueous lithium hydroxide. This reaction HCl(aq) + LiOH(aq) → H2O(l) + LiCl(aq)
produces water and aqueous lithium chloride.
• Show the ions of the reactants and the
products.
Response
ANALYZE THE PROBLEM
You are given the word equation for the reaction that
occurs between hydrochloric acid and aqueous lithium
• Cross out the spectator ions from the
hydroxide to produce water and aqueous lithium
chloride. You must determine the chemical formulas for complete ionic equation.
and relative amounts of all reactants and products to
write the balanced chemical equation. To write the
complete ionic equation, you need to show the ionic
states of the reactants and products. By crossing out the
spectator ions from the complete ionic equation, you
can write the net ionic equation.
REACTIONS THAT FORM WATER

SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN EVALUATE THE ANSWER

• Write the net ionic equation. The net ionic equation includes fewer
substances than the other equations because
it shows only those particles involved in the
reaction that produces water. The particles
that compose the product water are no
longer ions.
 Types of Reactions in Aqueous Solutions

Reactions that Form Gases

• Gases commonly produced are carbon
dioxide, hydrogen cyanide, and hydrogen
sulfide. For example:
2HI(aq) + Li2S(aq) → H2S(g) + 2LiI(aq)
• Another example is mixing vinegar and baking
soda, which produces carbon dioxide gas.
HCl(aq) + NaHCO3(aq) → H2CO3(aq) +
NaCl(aq)
• H2CO3(aq) decomposes immediately.
H2CO3(aq) → H2O(l) + CO2(g)
REACTIONS THAT FORM GASES
SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
Use with Example Problem 5.
Write the correct skeleton equation for the
Problem reaction.
Write the chemical, complete ionic, and net
ionic equations for the reaction between HCl(aq) + Na2S(aq) → H2S(g) + NaCl(aq)
hydrochloric acid and aqueous sodium • Balance the skeleton equation.
sulfide, which produces hydrogen sulfide
2HCl(aq) + Na2S(aq) → H2S(g) + 2NaCl(aq)
gas.
• Show the ions of the reactants and the
Response products.
ANALYZE THE PROBLEM
2H+(aq) + 2Cl−(aq) + 2Na+(aq) + S2−(aq) → H2S(g)
You are given the word equation for the reaction
+ 2Na+(aq) + 2Cl−(aq)
between hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sodium
sulfide (Na2S). You must write the skeleton • Cross out the spectator ions from the
equation and balance it. To write the complete complete ionic equation.
ionic equation, you need to show the ionic states 2H+(aq) + 2Cl−(aq) + 2Na+(aq) + S2−(aq) → H2S(g)
of the reactants and products. By crossing out the + 2Na+(aq) + 2Cl−(aq)
spectator ions in the complete ionic equation,
you can write the net ionic equation.
REACTIONS THAT FORM GASES

SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN EVALUATE THE ANSWER

• Write the net ionic equation in its smallest The net ionic equation includes fewer
whole-number ratio. substances than the other equations because
2H+(aq) + S2-(aq) → H2S(g) it shows only those particles involved in the
reaction that produce hydrogen sulfide. The
particles that compose the product are no
longer ions.
 Types of Reactions in Aqueous Solutions

Overall equations
• Two reactions can be combined and
represented by a single chemical reaction.
 Quiz

1. What happens to the ions in an aqueous solution

of sodium chloride when it is added to water?

A precipitation

B gas formation

C dissociation CORRECT

D nothing
 Quiz

2. What do complete ionic equations have that

net ionic equations do not?

A solvents C spectator ions

CORRECT

B solutes D precipitates
 Quiz

3. Which of the following is not true?

A Water is always a solvent in aqueous solutions.

B When ionic compounds dissolve in water, their ions
dissociate.
C Compounds that produce hydrogen ions in aqueous
solution are always bases. CORRECT

D When a substance dissolves in water, a solution

forms.
 Quiz

4. What is an equation that combines two reactions

called?

A complete ionic equation C net ionic equation

B ionic equation D overall equation

CORRECT