Complete and balance the molecular equation for the reaction of aqueous copper(II) chloride, CuCl2, and aqueous potassium phosphate, K3PO4. Include physical states. CuCl2(aq)+K3PO499(aq)> Enter the balanced net ionic equation for this reaction. Include physical states. *> symbolizes an arrow*
Complete and balance the molecular equation for the reaction of aqueous copper(II) chloride, CuCl2, and aqueous potassium phosphate, K3PO4. Include physical states.
CuCl2(aq)+K3PO499(aq)>
Enter the balanced net ionic equation for this reaction. Include physical states.
*> symbolizes an arrow*
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
To complete and balance the molecular equation for the reaction of aqueous copper(II) chloride (CuCl₂) and aqueous potassium phosphate (K₃PO₄), let’s break it down step by step.
Step 1: Writing the Molecular Equation
The molecular equation represents the complete formula of all compounds involved in the reaction. The reaction occurs between copper(II) chloride (CuCl₂) and potassium phosphate (K₃PO₄), resulting in the formation of copper(II) phosphate (Cu₃(PO₄)₂) and potassium chloride (KCl).
The balanced molecular equation:
[
3\text{CuCl}_2(aq) + 2\text{K}_3\text{PO}_4(aq) \rightarrow \text{Cu}_3\text{PO}_4(s) + 6\text{KCl}(aq)
]
Step 2: Net Ionic Equation
The net ionic equation only includes the species that undergo a change during the reaction. This means we will eliminate the spectator ions (ions that do not participate in the actual chemical change) from the equation.
- In the molecular equation, we can identify the spectator ions:
- Potassium ions (K⁺) from K₃PO₄ and chloride ions (Cl⁻) from CuCl₂ are spectator ions.
Therefore, the net ionic equation will focus only on the ions that form the solid product (Cu₃PO₄):
[
3\text{Cu}^{2+}(aq) + 2\text{PO}_4^{3-}(aq) \rightarrow \text{Cu}_3\text{PO}_4(s)
]
Explanation of the Reaction
- Ion Formation: Copper(II) chloride (CuCl₂) dissociates in water to form copper ions (Cu²⁺) and chloride ions (Cl⁻). Potassium phosphate (K₃PO₄) dissociates into potassium ions (K⁺) and phosphate ions (PO₄³⁻).
- Reaction: The Cu²⁺ ions from CuCl₂ and the PO₄³⁻ ions from K₃PO₄ combine to form copper(II) phosphate, which is insoluble in water and precipitates out as a solid.
- Spectator Ions: Potassium (K⁺) and chloride (Cl⁻) ions do not participate in the formation of the precipitate. These are spectator ions and are excluded from the net ionic equation.
Thus, the reaction illustrates a precipitation reaction where a solid (Cu₃PO₄) forms from the combination of ions in aqueous solution.