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Chapter 15: Problem 50

Write an equation showing how sodium sulfate dissociates in water.

Short Answer

Expert verified
\[ \text{Na}_2\text{SO}_4 (s) \rightarrow 2 \text{Na}^+ (aq) + \text{SO}_4^{2-} (aq) \]

Step by step solution

01

Identify the chemical formula

The first step is to identify the chemical formula for sodium sulfate. Sodium sulfate is composed of sodium (Na), sulfur (S), and oxygen (O). The chemical formula for sodium sulfate is Na₂SO₄.
02

Understand dissociation in water

Next, understand that dissociation involves separating the compound into its individual ions in water. For ionic compounds like sodium sulfate, dissociation means that the compound will dissolve and split into its constituent ions.
03

Identify the ions formed

When sodium sulfate dissociates, it forms sodium ions (Na⁺) and sulfate ions (SO₄²⁻). Since the formula is Na₂SO₄, it will produce two sodium ions for every one sulfate ion.
04

Write the dissociation equation

Based on the dissociation understanding, write the equation showing how sodium sulfate breaks down in water as follows:\[ \text{Na}_2\text{SO}_4 (s) \rightarrow 2 \text{Na}^+ (aq) + \text{SO}_4^{2-} (aq) \]

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Headline of the respective core concept
Sodium sulfate is a chemical compound used in various industries. Its chemical formula is Na₂SO₄. This means each molecule of sodium sulfate contains two sodium atoms (Na), one sulfur atom (S), and four oxygen atoms (O). Writing chemical formulas correctly is essential because it indicates the specific elements and their quantities in the molecule.
Accurate chemical formulas help in understanding reactions and properties of substances.
Headline of the respective core concept
When sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄) is placed in water, it dissociates. Dissociation means that the compound separates into its ions. For this process to occur, sodium sulfate must first dissolve in water.
Once dissolved, the forces between water molecules and the ions in sodium sulfate help break the ionic bonds, causing the compound to split into its separate ions. This process is crucial in various chemical reactions, especially those that occur in aqueous solutions.
Headline of the respective core concept
Ionic compounds are composed of positive and negative ions held together by ionic bonds. Sodium sulfate is an example of an ionic compound. In this compound, sodium ions (Na⁺) carry a positive charge, while sulfate ions (SO₄²⁻) carry a negative charge.
Ionic compounds are usually formed between metals and non-metals. Sodium, a metal, and sulfur, a non-metal, come together with oxygen to create sodium sulfate. These compounds typically have high melting and boiling points and are often soluble in water.
Headline of the respective core concept
When sodium sulfate dissociates in water, it breaks apart to form ions. These ions are sodium ions (Na⁺) and sulfate ions (SO₄²⁻). The process of ion formation is essential for many chemical reactions in which ions participate.
In the case of sodium sulfate, each formula unit produces two sodium ions and one sulfate ion as it dissociates. This indicates a one-to-two ratio between sulfate and sodium ions. Understanding ion formation is crucial for predicting the behavior of ionic compounds in solutions.
Headline of the respective core concept
The dissociation equation shows how a compound breaks down into its ions in water. For sodium sulfate, the dissociation equation is:
\[ \text{Na}_2\text{SO}_4 (s) \rightarrow 2 \text{Na}^+ (aq) + \text{SO}_4^{2-} (aq) \] \ \text{In this equation, (s) indicates solid sodium sulfate, and (aq) indicates that the ions are in aqueous (water) solution. The equation helps visualize the dissociation process, showing the formation of two sodium ions for every one sulfate ion. Dissociation equations are essential for understanding chemical reactions in solutions and predicting products of reactions.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Determine whether each of the following describes a substance that is acidic, basic, or neutral: (a) Red litmus paper turns blue (b) \(\mathrm{pH}=6\) (c) \(\left[\mathrm{H}^{+}\right]=1 \times 10^{-7}\) (d) \(\left[\mathrm{OH}^{-}\right]=1 \times 10^{-8}\) (e) Blue litmus paper turns red (f) \(\mathrm{pH}=12\)

Balance each of the following equations; then change them into balanced net ionic equations: (a) \(\mathrm{K}_{3} \mathrm{PO}_{4}(a q)+\mathrm{Ca}\left(\mathrm{NO}_{3}\right)_{2}(a q) \longrightarrow \mathrm{Ca}_{3}\left(\mathrm{PO}_{4}\right)_{2}(s)+\mathrm{KNO}_{3}(a q)\) (b) \(\mathrm{Al}(s)+\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}(a q) \longrightarrow \mathrm{H}_{2}(g)+\mathrm{Al}_{2}\left(\mathrm{SO}_{4}\right)_{3}(a q)\) (c) \(\mathrm{Na}_{2} \mathrm{CO}_{3}(a q)+\mathrm{HCl}(a q) \longrightarrow \mathrm{NaCl}(a q)+\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(l)+\mathrm{CO}_{2}(g)\)

Determine the molarity of each of the ions present in the following aqueous salt solutions: (assume \(100 \%\) ionization) (a) \(1.25 M \mathrm{CuBr}_{2}\) (b) \(0.75 \mathrm{M} \mathrm{NaHCO}_{3}\) (c) \(3.50 M \mathrm{~K}_{3} \mathrm{AsO}_{4}\) (d) \(0.65 M\left(\mathrm{NH}_{4}\right)_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}\)

Write an equation to illustrate the acid-base reaction that will take place between perchloric acid, \(\mathrm{HClO}_{4}\), and a hydroxide ion, \(\mathrm{OH}^{-}\). Identify the acids, bases, and their conjugates.

Write the reaction of hydrochloric acid with the active metal magnesium.
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