How do you write a net ionic and complete ionic equation for the reaction HClO4 + Mg(OH)2 --> MgClO4 + H2O?
1. Write the balanced molecular equation.
2. Break each component into ions to obtain the complete ionic equation.
3. Cancel ions common to both sides of the equation to obtain the net equation.
To write the net ionic and complete ionic equations for a reaction, you need to first identify the strong electrolytes in the reaction. In this case, HClO4 and Mg(OH)2 are strong electrolytes, while MgClO4 and H2O are not.
Here's how you can write the net ionic and complete ionic equations step by step:
1. Write the balanced molecular equation:
HClO4 + Mg(OH)2 -> MgClO4 + H2O
2. Write the complete ionic equation, which breaks down the strong electrolytes into their respective ions. Use the solubility rules to determine which compounds will dissociate into ions:
H+ + ClO4- + Mg2+ + 2OH- -> Mg2+ + ClO4- + H2O
3. Remove the spectator ions, which are the ions that appear on both sides of the equation and do not participate in the chemical reaction. In this case, the Mg2+ and ClO4- ions are spectators:
H+ + OH- -> H2O
4. Write the net ionic equation, which only includes the species that are directly involved in the chemical reaction:
H+ + OH- -> H2O
So, the net ionic equation for the reaction HClO4 + Mg(OH)2 -> MgClO4 + H2O is H+ + OH- -> H2O.