Homework Help Forum: Chemistry

Posted by Meaghan on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 12:34pm.

CaCl2(aq)+ Cs3PO4(aq) ---> Complete the reaction and classify as precipitation or acid/base. Net ionic equation as well. I believe this is a precipitation reaction since there is no H. Believe the products may be CaPO4 and Cs3Cl2? Can someone help explain this to me, having a lot of trouble with this!

• Chemistry - bobpursley, Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 1:04pm

  Calcium phosphate is indeed a precipitate. The cesium and chloride ions stay in solution. The formula for Calcium phosphate is Ca3(PO4)2

  
  

• Chemistry - DrBob222, Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 2:49pm

  One of the major problems you are having with this and any other equation is that you are tying to balance the equation by making the products match the number of atoms. That isn't the way to do it. Step 1. Write the equation. Use valences (oxidation states) to determine the formulas. Step 2. THEN balance the equation. For example: CaCl2 + Cs3PO4 ==> CsCl + Ca3(PO4)2. Note that I determined the formula for cesium chloride from the valences of Cs and Cl. The formula for calcium phosphate follows from Ca(+2) and PO4 (-3). THEN you balance the coefficients by using appropriate coefficients (not by changing the subscripts).

  
  

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