A precipitation reaction takes place when a water solution of potassium phosphate, K3PO4, is added to a water solution of cobalt (II) chloride, CoCl2
Write a balanced equation for this reaction
2K3PO4 + 3CoCl2 ==> Co3(PO4)2 + 6KCl
To write a balanced equation for the reaction between potassium phosphate (K3PO4) and cobalt (II) chloride (CoCl2), we first need to determine the formulas of the products formed.
The formula of cobalt (II) chloride tells us that it contains Co2+ ions and Cl- ions. The formula of potassium phosphate tells us that it contains K+ ions and PO43- ions.
When these two compounds react, the positive and negative ions will combine to form new compounds.
The balanced equation for this reaction is:
3K3PO4 + 2CoCl2 → Co3(PO4)2 + 6KCl
To write a balanced equation for this reaction, we first need to understand the chemical formula of each compound involved.
The chemical formula for potassium phosphate is K3PO4. It consists of three potassium ions (K+) and one phosphate ion (PO43-).
The chemical formula for cobalt (II) chloride is CoCl2. It consists of one cobalt ion (Co2+) and two chloride ions (Cl-).
A precipitation reaction occurs when a solid substance (precipitate) is formed from the reaction of two aqueous solutions. In this case, a precipitate will form when potassium phosphate is added to cobalt (II) chloride.
The solubility rules can help determine if a precipitate will form. According to these rules, compounds containing potassium ions (K+) and chloride ions (Cl-) are typically soluble in water, while compounds containing phosphate ions (PO43-) and cobalt ions (Co2+) are usually insoluble or slightly soluble in water.
By considering these rules, we can predict that a precipitate of cobalt phosphate will be formed.
Now, let's write the balanced equation for the reaction:
K3PO4(aq) + CoCl2(aq) → Co3(PO4)2(s) + 6KCl(aq)
This equation shows that when potassium phosphate is added to cobalt (II) chloride, cobalt phosphate is formed as a solid precipitate, while potassium chloride remains as a soluble compound in the solution.