I posted a question earlier, and i'm still abit confused. What is the reaction between potassium and aqueous sodium chloride? I was told that the products are KOH, H2, and KCl.
But shouldn't the reaction be a displacement reaction? Since Potassium is more reactive than sodium? So shouldn't the potassium have displaced the Sodium from the sodium chloride? What happened to the sodium in that reaction? I think i understand that the potassium will react with the water to form KOH and H2, but where did the sodium go to?
How do i write the chemical equation?
K (s) + NaCl (aq) ---> ???
Please help, thanks!
To understand the reaction between potassium and aqueous sodium chloride, you are correct that it involves a displacement reaction. Displacement reactions occur when a more reactive element displaces a less reactive element in a compound.
In this case, potassium (K) is more reactive than sodium (Na), so it will indeed displace the sodium from sodium chloride (NaCl). The resulting products will be potassium chloride (KCl) and sodium.
To write the balanced chemical equation, you need to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation. Here's how you can write the equation:
K (s) + NaCl (aq) → KCl (aq) + Na (s)
Here's a step-by-step breakdown of the reaction:
1. K (s) (solid potassium) and NaCl (aq) (aqueous sodium chloride) are the reactants. "Aqueous" means that sodium chloride is dissolved in water to form sodium ions (Na+) and chloride ions (Cl-).
2. During the reaction, potassium (K) atoms displace sodium (Na) atoms in sodium chloride, forming potassium chloride (KCl) and sodium (Na) as products.
3. The potassium chloride (KCl) product remains in the aqueous form, as it is soluble in water, while sodium (Na) is a solid that precipitates out of the solution.
Note that this reaction is highly exothermic and can be quite violent, as potassium reacts vigorously with water. It is important to exercise caution when performing or observing this reaction.