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View Full Version : Can anyone explain how they got this chemistry answer?


redstrawberry35
Feb 12, 2009, 12:40 PM
Aqueous solutions of sodium carbonate and magnesium nitrate are mixed together.

A) Write a balanced equation of this reaction and predict their products. Include phase labels.

B)Write a complete ionic equation for this reaction, showing charges on all ions.

C)Write the net ionic equation for this reaction (including phase labels).

Please, I really need help!

rwinterton
Feb 12, 2009, 02:10 PM
Both of these compounds are ionic, both are very soluble in water. Therefore, there's no driving force to go to a single compound.

Sodium Carbonate, Na2CO3, disassociates into Sodium ions and Carbonate. Magnesium nitrate, Mg(NO3)2, disassociates into magnesium ions and nitrate ions. Any cation (positively charge ion) can pair with any anion (negatively charged ion). Therefore, the sodium can form sodium carbonate (that you started with), or sodium nitrate. Likewise magnesium can form the carbonate or the nitrate.

The reaction will be an equilibrium.

That should give you more than enough information to figure out the answers.