Question

Write a chemical equation for the reaction of cadmium metal with aqueous cobalt(II) nitrate to produce aqueous cadmium nitrate and cobalt metal.

Short answer

Cd + Co(NO3)2 → Cd(NO3)2 + Co

Step-by-step solution

Identify the Reactants and Products

The reactants in this chemical reaction are cadmium metal (Cd) and cobalt(II) nitrate (\( ext{Co(NO}_3)_2 \)). The products of the reaction are cadmium nitrate (\( ext{Cd(NO}_3)_2 \)) and cobalt metal (Co).

Write the Chemical Formulas

Write down the chemical formulas for each of the reactants and products: - Cadmium: Cd - Cobalt(II) nitrate: \( ext{Co(NO}_3)_2 \)- Cadmium nitrate: \( ext{Cd(NO}_3)_2 \)- Cobalt: Co

Write the Skeleton Equation

With the identified reactants and products, write the skeleton equation for the reaction: \[ ext{Cd}_{(s)} + ext{Co(NO}_3)_2_{(aq)} ightarrow ext{Cd(NO}_3)_2_{(aq)} + ext{Co}_{(s)} \]

Balance the Equation

Check to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is equal on both sides of the equation.- Cadmium (Cd): 1 on both sides- Cobalt (Co): 1 on both sides- Nitrate (\( ext{NO}_3 \)) groups: 2 on both sidesThe equation is already balanced: \[ ext{Cd}_{(s)} + ext{Co(NO}_3)_2_{(aq)} ightarrow ext{Cd(NO}_3)_2_{(aq)} + ext{Co}_{(s)} \]

Key concepts

Reactants and Products

In a chemical equation, reactants are the starting substances that undergo a chemical reaction. Products are the newly formed substances resulting from this reaction. Understanding how chemicals transform is crucial for predicting the outcome of reactions and manipulating desired changes in chemistry.
In the reaction given, the reactants are cadmium metal (Cd) and cobalt(II) nitrate (\( \text{Co(NO}_3)_2 \)). These substances will interact with each other to form new products.
The products formed in this chemical reaction are cadmium nitrate (\( \text{Cd(NO}_3)_2 \)) and cobalt metal (Co).
You can visualize this process as a simple, yet profound transformation where cadmium trades places with cobalt in the chemical compounds due to its reactivity.

Chemical Formulas

Chemical formulas are a concise way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound. Understanding chemical formulas helps in making sense of the substances involved in reactions.
The chemical formula of cadmium is straightforward, represented as 'Cd'. This indicates that cadmium exists as single metal atoms in its natural form. Cobalt(II) nitrate on the other hand is represented as \( \text{Co(NO}_3)_2 \). This formula shows one cobalt atom combined with two nitrate ions, each nitrate ion being comprised of one nitrogen atom and three oxygen atoms.
Similarly, cadmium nitrate is expressed as \( \text{Cd(NO}_3)_2 \), which is quite similar in structure to cobalt(II) nitrate but cadmium replaces cobalt. It's important to correctly understand and write these formulas to avoid mistakes in chemical equations.
Each element and compound plays its part in the reaction, adhering to the conservation of mass principle.

Balancing Equations

Balancing chemical equations is key in ensuring that the same number of atoms of each element is present on both sides of the equation. This process exemplifies the law of conservation of mass, which states that mass cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.
Begin by writing the skeleton equation from the known reactants and products:\[ \text{Cd}_{(s)} + \text{Co(NO}_3)_2_{(aq)} \rightarrow \text{Cd(NO}_3)_2_{(aq)} + \text{Co}_{(s)} \]In this equation, you should make sure that the atoms of each element are balanced. For cadmium, cobalt, and nitrate, we have:

• Cadmium (Cd): 1 atom on both sides of the equation.
• Cobalt (Co): 1 atom on both sides of the equation.
• Nitrate groups (\( \text{NO}_3 \)): 2 on both sides, ensuring nitrogen and oxygen atoms are balanced.

Since all atoms are already balanced, this shows a neat balance maintained between reactants and products. Balancing helps in accurately depicting the stoichiometry of a reaction, ensuring it adheres to fundamental chemical laws.