Question

1. determine the products and write a balanced chemical equation to show the reaction (if any) that occurs when each pair of solutions is mixed. use the solubility rules to help you predict precipitates.

a) sodium acetate and silver nitrate
b) sodium sulphate and barium chloride
c) potassium hydroxide and ammonium chloride

Explanation:

Step1: Analyze Reaction a (Sodium Acetate & Silver Nitrate)

Sodium acetate: $\ce{NaC2H3O2}$, Silver nitrate: $\ce{AgNO3}$. Double - replacement: $\ce{NaC2H3O2 + AgNO3 -> NaNO3 + AgC2H3O2}$. Check solubility: Sodium salts ($\ce{NaNO3}$) and acetates (except some, but $\ce{AgC2H3O2}$? Wait, actually, silver acetate has limited solubility? Wait, no, correction: Wait, sodium acetate and silver nitrate: the products are sodium nitrate (soluble) and silver acetate. Wait, actually, silver acetate is sparingly soluble, so it precipitates? Wait, no, let's recall solubility rules: Acetates are generally soluble, but silver acetate is a bit of an exception, with low solubility. So the balanced equation: $\ce{NaC2H3O2(aq) + AgNO3(aq) -> NaNO3(aq) + AgC2H3O2(s)}$ (if $\ce{AgC2H3O2}$ precipitates). Wait, maybe I made a mistake. Let's check again: Sodium acetate ($\ce{NaC2H3O2}$) is soluble, silver nitrate ($\ce{AgNO3}$) is soluble. The possible products are sodium nitrate ($\ce{NaNO3}$, soluble) and silver acetate ($\ce{AgC2H3O2}$). According to solubility rules, acetates are soluble, but silver acetate has a solubility of about 1.02 g/L at 20°C, so it's a precipitate (insoluble enough to form a precipitate). So the balanced equation: $\ce{NaC2H3O2 + AgNO3 = NaNO3 + AgC2H3O2↓}$

Step2: Analyze Reaction b (Sodium Sulphate & Barium Chloride)

Sodium sulphate: $\ce{Na2SO4}$, Barium chloride: $\ce{BaCl2}$. Double - replacement: $\ce{Na2SO4 + BaCl2 -> NaCl + BaSO4}$. Balance: $\ce{Na2SO4(aq) + BaCl2(aq) -> 2NaCl(aq) + BaSO4(s)}$. Barium sulphate ($\ce{BaSO4}$) is insoluble (solubility rule: sulphates are soluble except for $\ce{Ba^{2+}}$, $\ce{Pb^{2+}}$, $\ce{Ca^{2+}}$ (slightly), etc.). So this reaction forms a precipitate of $\ce{BaSO4}$.

Step3: Analyze Reaction c (Potassium Hydroxide & Ammonium Chloride)

Potassium hydroxide: $\ce{KOH}$, Ammonium chloride: $\ce{NH4Cl}$. Double - replacement: $\ce{KOH + NH4Cl -> KCl + NH3\cdot H2O}$. $\ce{KCl}$ is soluble. $\ce{NH3\cdot H2O}$ (ammonium hydroxide) is a weak base, and this reaction can also be considered as an acid - base reaction (ammonium ion is acidic, hydroxide is basic). The products are potassium chloride (soluble) and ammonium hydroxide (which decomposes to $\ce{NH3 + H2O}$). There is no precipitate here because both $\ce{KCl}$ and $\ce{NH3\cdot H2O}$ (or the decomposed products) are soluble or gaseous/aqueous.

Answer:

(for part b as an example, since it has a clear precipitate):
The balanced chemical equation for the reaction between sodium sulphate ($\ce{Na2SO4}$) and barium chloride ($\ce{BaCl2}$) is $\boldsymbol{\ce{Na2SO4(aq) + BaCl2(aq) -> 2NaCl(aq) + BaSO4(s)}}$. For reaction a: $\ce{NaC2H3O2(aq) + AgNO3(aq) -> NaNO3(aq) + AgC2H3O2(s)}$ (if $\ce{AgC2H3O2}$ precipitates). For reaction c: $\ce{KOH(aq) + NH4Cl(aq) -> KCl(aq) + NH3(g) + H2O(l)}$ (since $\ce{NH3\cdot H2O}$ decomposes to ammonia and water).

(If we take part b as the main reaction with a precipitate, the balanced equation is $\ce{Na2SO4 + BaCl2 = 2NaCl + BaSO4↓}$)