Question

Write the balanced chemical equation for the reaction of aqueous sodium carbonate with aqueous copper(II) chloride to form solid copper(II) carbonate and aqueous sodium chloride.

Short answer

The balanced chemical equation is Na2CO3(aq) + CuCl2(aq) -> CuCO3(s) + 2NaCl(aq).

Step-by-step solution

Write the Unbalanced Equation

Start by writing the unbalanced chemical equation with the reactants on the left and the products on the right. Sodium carbonate reacts with copper(II) chloride, to produce copper(II) carbonate and sodium chloride. The unbalanced equation is: Na2CO3(aq) + CuCl2(aq) -> CuCO3(s) + NaCl(aq).

Balance the Chemical Equation

Balance the equation by adjusting coefficients to have the same number of each type of atom on both sides of the equation. Begin by balancing the elements that appear in only one reactant and one product. Balance the copper and sodium atoms first, by placing a coefficient of 2 in front of NaCl, then balance the chlorine atoms by placing a coefficient of 2 in front of CuCl2.

Review and Confirm Balancing

Check to ensure all atoms are balanced on both sides of the equation. You should have 1 carbon (C), 3 oxygen (O), 2 sodium (Na), 2 chlorine (Cl), and 1 copper (Cu) atom(s) on both sides of the equation. The balanced chemical equation is: Na2CO3(aq) + CuCl2(aq) -> CuCO3(s) + 2NaCl(aq).

Key concepts

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the quantitative relationships between the substances involved in a chemical reaction. It's based on the conservation of mass and the law of definite proportions. The main idea is that given a balanced chemical equation, you can calculate the exact amounts of reactants needed to produce a certain amount of product, or vice versa.

In the example of the balanced chemical equation between aqueous sodium carbonate and aqueous copper(II) chloride, stoichiometry allows us to determine how much sodium carbonate is needed to react with a certain amount of copper(II) chloride, and vice versa. When balancing the chemical equation, we also inherently solve a stoichiometric problem by ensuring the quantity of atoms of each element is conserved in the reaction.

Chemical Reactions

Chemical reactions involve the transformation of one set of chemical substances to another. Reactants interact to form products, and during this process, chemical bonds are broken and formed. For a reaction to occur, the reacting particles must collide with enough energy and in the correct orientation.

For instance, the reaction between sodium carbonate and copper(II) chloride involves ionic compounds in aqueous solutions. These solutions allow the ions to dissociate and react to form solid copper(II) carbonate and aqueous sodium chloride. The balanced chemical equation ensures that the conservation of atoms is demonstrated and provides a clear picture of the entire reaction process, including the state of each substance.

Aqueous Solutions

Aqueous solutions are mixtures where the solvent is water. In an aqueous solution, ionic compounds, such as sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and copper(II) chloride (CuCl2), dissociate into their constituent ions. These ions are then free to react with one another. In the provided exercise, Na2CO3 and CuCl2 are both in aqueous solution before they react to form solid copper(II) carbonate (CuCO3) and sodium chloride (NaCl), which remains in solution.

The physical state of the reactants and products is essential for predicting the outcome of reactions in aqueous solutions. For example, the production of a solid (also known as a precipitate) indicates a double replacement reaction, which is a common type of reaction in aqueous solutions.