Question

Question: Combine the NET ionic equations of Reaction 1 and Reaction 2 to give the equation for the ionization of acetic acid.

Reaction 1 Full Ionic Equation:

H+(aq) + Cl-(aq) + Na+(aq) + OH-(aq) —> Na+(aq) + Cl-(aq) + H2O(l)

Reaction 1 Net Ionic Equation:

H+(aq) + OH-(aq) —> H2O (l)

Reaction 2 Full Ionic Equation:

H+(aq) + C2H3O2-(aq) + Na+(aq) + OH-(aq) —> Na+(aq) + C2H3O2-(aq) + H2O(l)

Reaction 2 Net Ionic Equation:

H+(aq) + OH-(aq) —> H2O(l)

Explain how the combination of the 2 net ionic equations give ionization of acetic acid. I have no idea. Thanks.

Answer 1

Complete ionic equation consists of all the ions present in the reaction.

Net ionic equation consists only the ions of the species that are actually involving in a reaction.They do not include spectator ions or the ions that do not involve in a reaction.

Let us consider the first reaction.

H+(aq) + Cl-(aq) + Na+(aq) + OH-(aq) —> Na+(aq) + Cl-(aq) + H2O(l)

Now we should find out which ions are common in both left hand side and in right hand side. We note that Na+ ion and cl- ions are present in both left and right side of the equation.This means that they both are unchanged after the reaction.If they are not changed in a reaction,they are termed as spectator ions.For a net equation we cancel them out from both sides,writing the remaining ions and molecules.

H+(aq) + OH-(aq) —> H2O (l)

Now lets consider the second reaction:

H+(aq) +C₂H₃O₂^-(aq) + Na+(aq) + OH-(aq) —> Na+(aq) + C₂H₃O₂^-(aq) + H2O(l)

Here we observe the equation and find out that the Na+ ions and the C₂H₃O₂^- ions are present in both left and right side of the equations. Hence we can say that  the Na+ ions and the C₂H₃O₂^- ions are spectator ions as they did not change.To write down the net ionic reaction,we should cancel out the spectator ions from both the sides.

H+(aq) + OH-(aq) —> H2O (l)