WritingIonicEquations

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Writing Chemical Equations

Even though some of the reactants and products are ionic in the previous four types of reactions discussed, they are still considered to be molecular equations. However ionic equations show what happens to the ions in the equation. Do do these types of equations, follow these directions:

  1. Write the formulas of the ions that are present in the water solution of each substance.

  2. Write a balanced molecular equation.

  3. Replace the formuals of the substances in the molecular formula that was just writen with the formulas of the ions that the       substances become in solution.

  4. Eliminate the spectator ions which are the ions that are unchanged by the reaction and are present on both sides of the       reaction.  Cross these spectator ions out, because they are not needed for our net ionic equation.


Examples: For a thorough example consult your book on page 225-226.
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Last edited June 12, 2003 8:19 am (diff)
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