For an experiment we had to test the equilibrium of BiCl3 - BiOCl

First I had to mix a small amount of BiCl3 with 2mL of water. After doing this the color was cloudy white. Then I added6.0M of HCl drop-wise in which the color became clear. Then 25mL was added and the color was milk white.

BiCl3(aq) + H2O(l) == BiOCl(s) + 2Cl^-^(aq)

I am thinking that the BiCl3 reacted with the water to turn white. So from the equation that would mean that the equilibrium shifted to the left. When HCl was added it shifted to the right because the HCl was used up. Then it turned white again so that must mean that it shifted back to the left.

Would you agree or am I totally incorrect??

It seems like you have made some observations and are trying to analyze the equilibrium behavior of the reaction between BiCl3 and H2O to form BiOCl and Cl- ions. Let's break down your observations and analyze them step by step:

1. Mixing BiCl3 with water: When BiCl3 is mixed with water, the solution turns cloudy white. This could be an indication that a reaction has occurred, resulting in the formation of a solid precipitate. In this case, the reaction is between BiCl3 and H2O, forming BiOCl and Cl- ions.

2. Adding HCl drop-wise: When 6.0M HCl is added drop-wise, the solution becomes clear. This is likely due to the reaction between the excess HCl and BiOCl, converting it back into a soluble form (BiCl3). The equation you provided shows that the reaction can go both ways, with BiOCl converting into BiCl3 when excess HCl is added.

3. Adding more HCl: When an additional 25mL of HCl is added, the solution turns milk white again. This could be due to the reformation of BiOCl as the excess HCl is used up.

Based on your observations and analysis, your conclusions seem reasonable. The initial mixing of BiCl3 with water likely shifted the equilibrium towards the formation of the white precipitate (BiOCl), resulting in a cloudy white solution. The subsequent addition of HCl reversed the reaction, shifting the equilibrium to the right, making the solution clear. Finally, when more HCl is added, the equilibrium shifts back towards the left, leading to the reformation of BiOCl and the solution turning milk white again.

It's important to note that this analysis is based solely on the observations and assumptions you provided. If you want to be more certain about your conclusions, you could perform additional tests or consult literature references to support your findings.

I don't agree with what you wrote. Hannah, I want to recommend that you get a tutor. You require more help and in a more personal way than I can provide on this help site. To be brutally frank about it, you lack the basic concepts for the class you're enrolled in as well as the basic concepts necessary to progress. Personally, I think you're in over your head. You may want to talk this over with your advisor and see what he/she recommends that you do concerning this course. Good luck!