Reactions in Aqueous Solution

Properties of compounds in aqueous solution

What is a solution ?

• A solution is a homogenous mixture of 2 or more substances.

• The solute is the substance present in the smaller amount (and

is dissolved).

• The solvent is the substance present in the larger amount.

 Examples of solutions

Solute Sugar + CO2 O2, Ar, CH4 Sn

Solvent H2O N2 Pb
Solution Soft drink (aq) Air (g) Soft Solder (s)
What is an aqueous solution ?

• Many substances dissolve in water, that is, in aqueous solution.

• Soluble ionic compounds (as well as strong acids and bases) dissociate into their
constituent cations and anions.

• Soluble molecular compounds remain intact as molecules.

• Understanding the nature of substances in aqueous solution, and the reaction they
undergo is fundamental to understanding much of the chemistry of the natural world.
 WATER, the common solvent

• One of the most important

substances on earth.
• Can dissolve many different
substances.
• A polar molecule because of its
unequal charge distribution.

5
Ions surrounded by water molecules, arranged in a specific manner and
are free to move about in solution.
 The Nature of Aqueous Solutions; Strong and Weak Electrolytes

Electrolyte:
substance that when dissolved in water produces a solution
that can conduct electricity.
An electrolyte is a substance that, when dissolved in water, results in a
solution that can conduct electricity.

A nonelectrolyte is a substance that, when dissolved, results in a solution

that does not conduct electricity.

nonelectrolyte weak electrolyte strong electrolyte

 Conductivity

Strong Electrolyte Weak Electrolyte

– 100% dissociation – not 100% dissociated

H2O
NaCl (s) Na+ (aq) + Cl- (aq)
CH3COOH (aq)⇋ CH3COO- (aq) + H+ (aq)
 • Non electrolyte
does not conduct
electricity

• No cations (+) and

no anions (-) in
solution
• Not ionized

H 2O
C6H12O6 (s) C6H12O6 (aq)
There are three important classes of reactions which occur in
aqueous solution:
1. precipitation reactions,

2. acid-base reactions, and

3. redox reactions.
 Reactions in Aqueous Solution

precipitation acid-base redox

1. Precipitation Reactions

• A double displacement reaction in which a solid forms and separates

from the solution.
• When ionic compounds dissolve in water, the resulting solution
contains the separated ions.

• Precipitate
– insoluble solid that forms.
 Example 1: Precipitation Reactions

precipitate

Pb(NO3)2 (aq) + 2NaI (aq) PbI2 (s) + 2NaNO3 (aq) …..(1) molecular equation

Pb2+ + 2NO3- + 2Na+ + 2I- PbI2 (s) + 2Na+ + 2NO3- ……(2) ionic equation

Pb2+ + 2I- PbI2 (s)

……(3) net ionic equation

Na+ and NO3- are spectator ions

 Precipitation of Lead Iodide

Pb2+ + 2I- PbI2 (s)

PbI2
 • Ba2+(aq) + CrO42–(aq) → BaCrO4(s)

Example 2: Precipitation Reactions

The Reaction of K2CrO4(aq) and Ba(NO3)2(aq)

Precipitates

• Soluble – solid dissolves in solution; (aq) is used in reaction equation.

• Insoluble – solid does not dissolve in solution; (s) is used in reaction equation.
• Insoluble and slightly soluble are often used interchangeably.
Simple Rules for Solubility

1. Most nitrate (NO3-) salts are soluble.

2. Most alkali metal (group 1A) salts and NH4+ are soluble.
3. Most Cl-, Br-, and I- salts are soluble (except Ag+, Pb2+, Hg22+).
4. Most sulfate salts are soluble (except BaSO4, PbSO4, Hg2SO4, CaSO4).
5. Most OH- are only slightly soluble (NaOH, KOH are soluble, Ba(OH)2, Ca(OH)2
are marginally soluble).
6. Most S2-, CO32-, CrO42-, PO43- salts are only slightly soluble, except for those
containing the cations in Rule 2.
Solubility is the maximum amount of solute that will dissolve
in a given quantity of solvent at a specific temperature.
 Writing Net Ionic Equations
1. Write the balanced molecular equation.
2. Write the ionic equation showing the strong electrolytes completely
dissociated into cations and anions.
3. Cancel the spectator ions on both sides of the ionic equation
4. Check that charges and number of atoms are balanced in the net ionic
equation