Give the molecular, complete ionic, and net ionic equations for the combination of potassium chloride and magnesium sulfate.
To determine the molecular, complete ionic, and net ionic equations for the combination of potassium chloride (KCl) and magnesium sulfate (MgSO4), we need to understand the chemical formulas and their respective charges.
First, let's look at the chemical formulas involved:
- Potassium chloride (KCl): The formula for potassium is K, and chloride is Cl, so KCl represents the combination of one potassium ion (K+) and one chloride ion (Cl-).
- Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4): The formula for magnesium is Mg, and sulfate is SO4, so MgSO4 represents the combination of one magnesium ion (Mg2+) and one sulfate ion (SO4^2-).
Now that we have the formulas and charges, let's break it down into the molecular, complete ionic, and net ionic equations:
1. Molecular Equation:
The molecular equation shows the overall reaction without any indication of the ionic compounds breaking apart:
KCl + MgSO4 → K2SO4 + MgCl2
2. Complete Ionic Equation:
The complete ionic equation shows all the individual ions present in the reaction. To write the complete ionic equation, we break apart the ionic compounds into their respective ions:
K+ + Cl- + Mg2+ + SO4^2- → K+ + SO4^2- + Mg2+ + Cl-
3. Net Ionic Equation:
The net ionic equation only includes the ions that participate in the reaction. In this case, both the potassium and sulfate ions are spectator ions since they are present on both sides of the equation. The only ions that change are the chloride and magnesium ions:
Cl- + Mg2+ → MgCl2
Thus, the molecular equation is KCl + MgSO4 → K2SO4 + MgCl2,
the complete ionic equation is K+ + Cl- + Mg2+ + SO4^2- → K+ + SO4^2- + Mg2+ + Cl-,
and the net ionic equation is Cl- + Mg2+ → MgCl2.