Precipitation & Ionic Equations

Learning Objectives:
7. Make predictions about the products for standard
reactions using ionic equations.
11. Recall and describe what a precipitate is.
12. Predict whether a precipitate will form in certain
reactions.
Definitions
Make sure you are happy with the
meaning of the following terms:

Solvent Unsaturated
Solute Supersaturated
Solution Precipitate
Soluble Spectator ion
Saturated
 Precipitation

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Precipitation reactions
An insoluble solid that forms during an aqueous reaction is
called a precipitate. A reaction which forms a precipitate is
called a precipitation reaction.
The limewater test for carbon dioxide is a precipitation reaction.
Limewater is actually a dilute
solution of calcium hydroxide.
The calcium hydroxide reacts with
carbon dioxide to form calcium
carbonate, which is insoluble in water:

calcium carbon calcium

+ + water
hydroxide dioxide carbonate

Ca(OH)2 (aq) + CO2 (g) CaCO3 (s) + H2O (l)

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To precipitate or not to precipitate?

Make sure
you are
familiar with
the solubility
rules on the
data sheet,
and how to
use them!

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Soluble or insoluble?
Use the data sheet to help you decide whether each of the
following solutions is soluble or not.

 Barium nitrate Soluble

 Potassium carbonate Soluble
 Sodium sulfate Soluble
 Copper(II) hydroxide Insoluble
 Mercury(I) chloride Soluble
 Ammonium phosphate Soluble
 Chromium(III) sulfide Insoluble
 Lead(II) sulfate Insoluble

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Precipitation practice
Use the data sheet to help you write equations for the
following precipitation reactions.

 Silver(I) nitrate + sodium chloride

AgNO3 (aq) + NaCl (aq) → AgCl (s) + NaNO3 (aq)
 Ammonium carbonate + iron(III) nitrate
3 (NH4)2CO3 (aq) + 2 Fe(NO3)3 (aq) → Fe2(CO3)3 (s) + 6 NH4NO3 (aq)

 Sodium chloride + potassium nitrate

No reaction takes place!
 Copper(II) sulfate + sodium hydroxide
CuSO4 (aq) + 2 NaOH (aq) → Cu(OH)2 (s) + Na2SO4 (aq)

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 Ionic Equations

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Spectator ions
In ionic precipitation reactions there are often ions that are not
involved in the reaction. These are known as spectator ions.

NaI (aq) + AgNO3 (aq) AgI (s) + NaNO3 (aq)

The spectator ions are easily identified using the ionic equation.
Na+ (aq) + I– (aq) + Ag+ (aq) + NO3– (aq)
AgI (s) + Na+ (aq) + NO3– (aq)
This equation shows that the silver and the iodine ions have
reacted, joining together to make the precipitate.
The sodium (Na+) and nitrate (NO3–) ions are spectator ions.
This means the ionic equation can be simplified to:
I– (aq) + Ag+ (aq) AgI (s)
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 Reactions of Ionic Compounds
• Ionic compounds contain positive ions (usually metal ions)
and negative ions (usually non-metal ions).
• In solids, these ions are bonded together in an ionic lattice.
We use the state symbol (s).
• When an ionic compound is dissolved in water, the ions
dissociate, and exist separately in solution. We use the state
symbol (aq).
• When a solution of an ionic compound takes part in a
reaction, it may well be only one of the ions actually reacting.
• The other ion does not take part – it is a spectator ion.
• Spectator ions do not take place in the reaction, and so are
left out from ionic equations.
• If an ionic compound appears as a solid (either as reactant or
product, you must include the whole ionic formula.
 How to write Ionic Equations
1. Write the full balanced equation, including states of
matter (s/l/g/aq). Make sure the formulae for all
substances are actually correct before you proceed!
2. For any ionic substances that are in solution, or any
molecular substances that ionise in solution (ie:
acids), split the compound into its ions.
3. Cancel any spectator ions (ions that are not involved
in the reaction) on both sides.
4. Rewrite the equation with only the species that are
reaction – this is the ionic equation.
5. Make sure the equation is balanced for both atoms
and charge!
Practising ionic equations

Write ionic equations for each of these reactions:

• Zinc + copper sulfate solution
• Magnesium + lead nitrate solution
• Bromine solution + sodium iodide solution
• Copper sulfate solution + sodium hydroxide solution
Practising ionic equations – Answers
• Zinc + copper sulfate solution → zinc sulfate solution +
copper
Zn (s) + Cu2+ (aq) → Zn2+ (aq) + Cu (s)
• Magnesium + lead nitrate solution → magnesium nitrate
solution + lead
Mg (s) + Pb2+ (aq) → Mg2+ (aq) + Pb (s)
• Bromine solution + sodium iodide solution → sodium
bromide solution + iodine
Br2 (aq) + 2 I- (aq) → 2 Br- (aq) + I2 (aq)
• Copper sulfate solution + sodium hydroxide solution →
copper hydroxide (precipitate) + sodium sulfate solution
Cu2+ (aq) + 2 OH- (aq) → Cu(OH)2 (s)
Tasks
• Notes as required.
• ICSG Set 11 – Ionic Solutions
• STAWA Set 27 – Ionic Equations

Extra Practice:
• Balancing Equations for Reactions worksheet
• Net Ionic Equations worksheet

All tasks have answers on connect, check carefully!