Net Ionic Equation Example

On the basis of type of chemical bonds in compounds, they can be mainly two types; ionic and covalent compounds. In ionic compounds, cations and anions are bonded by electrostatic force of attraction while in covalent compounds; elements are bonded with covalent bonds. Due to different types of bonds, these compounds show different type of reactions.

In covalent compounds, molecules involve in reactions while in ionic compounds, ions take part in reaction. Therefore chemical reactions of ionic compounds can be represents in three different types; molecular equation, ionic equation and net-ionic equation.

Molecular equation represents reacting substance in its molecular form while ionic and net-ionic equation shows in ionic form.

Let’s take a Net Ionic Equation Examples of reaction of silver nitrate with potassium chloride to form white precipitate of silver chloride and potassium nitrate. The molecular equation for this reaction would be;

AgNO_3(aq) + KCl_(aq)   AgCl () + KNO_3(aq) 

While the ionic equation will show all ions of reacting substances excluding precipitate as it exists in solid state.

Ag⁺_(aq)  + NO₃^-_(aq)  + K⁺_(aq)  + Cl^-_(aq)   AgCl()+ K⁺_(aq)  + NO₃^-_(aq) ..........(1)

You can observer in equation (1) only silver ion and the chloride ion takes part in the reaction to form AgCl precipitate while potassium ion and nitrate ion remains unchanged. These ions are known as spectator icons. Therefore we can eliminate from the ionic equation. Hence net ionic equation helps to understand the involvement of reacting substances in given reaction and net ionic equations examples show only those ions which really take part in reaction or get some change.

Ag⁺ + Cl^-  AgCl () .......(2)

Let’s take some more examples of Net Ionic Equations and practice Net Ionic Equations from their molecular equation.

• Silver nitrate and sodium bromide to form silver bromide :

1. Molecular equation:   

AgNO₃ (aq)   +   NaBr (aq)         AgBr (s)   +   NaNO₃ (aq)

2. Ionic equation:    

Ag⁺ (aq)+ NO₃^¯ (aq) +  Na⁺ (aq)+ Br¯ (aq)      AgBr (s)    +   Na⁺ (aq)  +  NO₃¯ (aq)

3. Net-Ionic equation:    Ag⁺ (aq)   +   Br¯ (aq)       AgBr (s)

• Potassium carbonate and calcium nitrate to form calcium carbonate :

1.  Molecular equation:  Ca(NO₃)₂ (aq)    +   K₂CO₃ (aq)       CaCO₃ (s)   +    2 KNO₃ (aq)

2. Ionic equation:  

Ca⁺ (aq)  +  2 NO₃¯ (aq)  +  2 K⁺ (aq)  +  CO₃^2- (aq)    CaCO₃ (s)  +  2 K⁺ (aq) +  2 NO₃¯ (aq)

3. Net-Ionic equation:  Ca²⁺ (aq)    +   CO₃^2- (aq)      CaCO₃ (s)

• Barium bromide and potassium sulphate to form barium sulphate :

1. Molecular equation:   BaBr₂ (aq)  +  K₂SO₄ (aq)         BaSO₄ (s)   +   2 KBr (aq)

2. Ionic equation:  

Ba²⁺ (aq) +  2 Br¯ (aq) +  2 K⁺ (aq) + SO₄^2- (aq)    BaSO₄ (s) +  2 K⁺ (aq) +  2 Br¯ (aq)

3. Net Ionic equation:  Ba²⁺ (aq)  +  SO₄^2- (aq)       BaSO₄ (s)