CuSO₄(aq) + SrCl₂(aq) → CuCl₂(aq) + SrSO₄(s)
Here's how we balance the equation:
1. Identify the reactants and products:
- Reactants: Copper(II) sulfate (CuSO₄) and strontium chloride (SrCl₂)
- Products: Copper(II) chloride (CuCl₂) and strontium sulfate (SrSO₄)
2. Count the atoms of each element on both sides:
- Reactants:
- Cu: 1
- S: 1
- O: 4
- Sr: 1
- Cl: 2
- Products:
- Cu: 1
- S: 1
- O: 4
- Sr: 1
- Cl: 2
3. Adjust the coefficients in front of the chemical formulas to balance the number of atoms:
- In this case, the equation is already balanced.
Explanation of the reaction:
This reaction is a double displacement reaction, where the positive and negative ions of the reactants switch partners to form new products. Strontium sulfate (SrSO₄) is an insoluble compound, which means it forms a solid precipitate that will settle out of the solution.
Important note:
The state symbols (aq) and (s) indicate that the reactants and products are in an aqueous solution (dissolved in water) or solid state, respectively.