Which of the following must have been true about the reaction that produced this net ionic equation?
H3O+ (aq) + OH−(aq) --> 2H2O(l)
A. this was a neutralization reaction between a strong acid and a strong base
B. this was a chemical reaction that produced a precipitate
C. this reaction had to have happened outside an aqueous system
D. this was a reaction without spectator ions
I think the answer is A but I'm not sure... Can someone double-check? Thanks!
I would go with A also.
To determine which statement is true about the reaction that produced the given net ionic equation, we can analyze the equation. The net ionic equation is formed by canceling out the spectator ions, which are the ions that appear on both sides of the equation in their original form. In this case, the spectator ions are H3O+ and OH−.
A. This was a neutralization reaction between a strong acid and a strong base: From the equation, we have H3O+ (acid) combining with OH− (base) to form water (H2O). This is indeed a neutralization reaction between an acid and a base, so option A is possible.
B. This was a chemical reaction that produced a precipitate: Looking at the balanced equation, there is no solid (precipitate) listed. So option B is not possible.
C. This reaction had to have happened outside an aqueous system: The equation shows the presence of aqueous (aq) substances on both sides. Therefore, the reaction must have occurred within an aqueous system, making option C incorrect.
D. This was a reaction without spectator ions: The net ionic equation provided is specifically written to exclude the spectator ions. Therefore, option D is true.
From evaluating all the options, we can conclude that the correct answer is option D: this was a reaction without spectator ions.